Knowledge-Based Configuration: From Research to Business Cases

Knowledge-based Configuration incorporates knowledge representation formalisms to capture complex product models and reasoning methods to provide intelligent interactive behavior with the user. This book represents the first time that corporate and academic worlds collaborate integrating research and commercial benefits of knowledge-based configuration. Foundational interdisciplinary material is provided for composing models from increasingly complex products and services. Case studies, the latest research, and graphical knowledge representations that increase understanding of knowledge-based configuration provide a toolkit to continue to push the boundaries of what configurators can do and how they enable companies and customers to thrive.

Provides an overview of the application of knowledge-based configuration technologies in the form of real-world case studies from SAP, Siemens, Kapsch, and more

Explores the commercial benefits of knowledge-based configuration technologies to business sectors from services to industrial equipment

Uses concepts that are based on an example personal computer configuration knowledge base that is represented in an UML-based graphical language

PART 1 INTRODUCTION 1. Motivation for the Book 2. A Short History of Configuration 3. Configuration-Related Topics 4. Benefits of Configuration Systems 5. Overview of the Book

PART 2 BASICS 6. Configuration Knowledge Representation and Reasoning 7. Conflict Detection and Diagnosis in Configuration 8. User Interfaces for Configuration Environments 9. Core Capabilities of Sustainable Mass Customization 10. Smarthome Configuration Model

PART 3 ADVANCED TOPICS 11. Knowledge Engineering for Configuration Systems 12. Redundancy Detection in Configuration Knowledge 13. Personalized Configuration 14. Consumer Decision-Making and Configuration Systems 15. Configuration-Related Research Challenges

PART 4 CASE STUDIES 16. SIEMENS: Configuration and Reconfiguration in Industry 17. Tacton: Use of Tacton Configurator at FLSmidth 18. encoway: From ERP-Based to Sales-Oriented Configuration 19. Kapsch: Reconfiguration of Mobile Phone Networks  20. Configuring and Generating Technical Documents 21. Configuring Services and Processes

PART 5 CONFIGURATION ENVIRONMENTS 22. S'UPREME 23. Encoway 24. Konwerk 25. WeeVis 26. VariSales 27. Product Configuration in SAP: A Retrospective

PART 6 APPENDIX