A Study On Workflow Technology In The PDM System

The product data management focuses on the product data, which contains three major components: data, processes and resources. PDM systems manage not only the static data, but also the relevant dynamic processes, thus provide a platform for the fundamental data management for the enterprises. However, the goal of the work flow management technology is to decompose the routine work to well defined tasks, roles, and under some rules to monitor the progress of the tasks, thus to achieve effective management of the dynamic process in an enterprise. PDM systems emphasize on information integration while work flow management systems emphasize on process integration.Due to the rapid change in enterprise management environment, it is urgently needed to combine the product data management technology and the work flow management technology, especially the addition of the work flow management functions to the PDM system.This article starts with the present situation of the work flow technology, analyzes the inevitable addition of the work flow management function to the PDM system. It then introduces the PDM system main functions, the newest technology and development tendency, the system structure and the main function of the work flow management system. Based on this, it analyzes the characteristic, the active model and the control model of the work flow management functions in a PDM system.Finally, the author uses the object-oriented analysis method, elaborates on the implementation of the work flow management functions in Tiangong PDM system, the work flow model design and the database design .