Lifecycle data model & its evolvement for product family

To describe and manage the evolvement processes and relationships of data in product family lifecycle,a 3-D lifecycle data model was proposed,which was composed of product master structures view,product groups view and product structure view.After analyzing the evolvement processes of product master structures,product groups and products in product family lifecycle,the formal evolvement matrices were put forward to describe them.The evolvement matrices described the product family evolvement space.By the combination of product family data model and product family evolvement process,any evolvement process of product master structure,product group and product in product family lifecycle was available.The method had been applied in elevator design successfully.