A Workflow Engine Technology Research, Product Data Management

With increasing rapidly application of computer and information technology in enterprises, an amount of computer data and information of product are produced, It is more difficult to fulfill requirements of product development that product data and processes are managed manually. Product Data Management system is good method that is applied to manage product data and processes, and service as an integrated frame and enable technology in modern enterprises. PDM is adopted more and more enterprises. Workflow technology is a new kind of technology, it is important meaning to apply and research it in PDM. Workflow management is a critical technology in PDM, it is a mainly factor process control technology in product development.Introducing some PDM technology contents, for example, it's origin, concept , mainly functions , architecture, critical technologies and development. Researching functions and architecture of Windchill( a product data management system base on web an J2EE).Analyzing requirements of workflow and workflow engine in PDM. We have introduced process model, architecture, and control model of workflow engine of workflow management in PDM according to workflow engine requirements and features of PDM, while workflow engine is analyzed, designed and implemented. We execute arithmetic, status and schedule of process instance. We gave some application implements of workflow engine in PDM, including documents and parts computerized review, enterprise engineering change management and project management.We have brought forward some methods to integrate lifecycle with workflow by enginge. Synchronized between lifecycle and lifecycle by workflow engine, as well as mong processes. Implemented engineering change management in PDM by workflow engine, that is one of product conguration management. We control process of product development by workflow engine that induce to change status of product data. Abilities of project management is put forward base on process model and workflow engine in PDM. Modern principle of project management is applied to PDM. We put forward to building workflow engine mid-ware component that is not related with application. We integrated project management with product data management and workflow system by it. This componet services PDM and Project Management system. It services others Management Information System. These are applied in critical and core business in enterprise.Research has applied in PDM of XXX automative company ChongQing and Project management base on PDM technology.