METHODS AND TOOLS FOR CONSTRAINT BASED INFORMATION INTEGRATION Sven Kleiner and Reiner Anderl Technical University Darmstadt Department of Computer Integrated Design kleiner@dik.tu-darmstadt.de An analysis of today's data exchange processes and product data integration technologies expose a lack of continuous computer aided methods during product development. This document outlines a new approach for the integration of product models based on constraints. A parametric product data model is presented which offers the possibility to link interdisciplinary product model structures and properties in order to allow interoperability among applications in design departments. A first software prototype illustrates the realized integration ;,ifrastructure and demonstrates the functionality of the constraint based information integration concept. 1. INTRODUCTION The ever increasing pressure towards lower costs, shorter development cycles and more product quality requires the use of computer aided methods and software tools in engineering departments. Today, innovative products are complex and include mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electric, controller, and even software components. From this it follows, that different CAx systems support engineering work. In virtual product development processes, product models of the involved engineering domains are characterized by incomplete information and have to be modified many times within iterative processes. Provided that different CAx systems can have access to all relevant data and data can be kept consistent during engineering processes, design activities can be processed quicker and more adaptive according to customer's requirements and change requests. Therefore, the involved engineering domains, CAx systems, and partial product models need to be integrated in an environment, which supports necessary product model integration and data exchange. A new approach for the integration of product data models using constraints of product model parameters and structures is presented in order to enhance system integration and Concurrent Engineering. © Springer Science+Business Media New York 2002 V. Mařík et al. (eds.), Knowledge and Technology Integration in Production and Services