Figure 1
The diagram is vertically organized into colored bands representing sequential phases: “Tender”, “Engineering”, “Operations”, “Logistics”, “Prototype”, “Testing”, and “Production”. Each band contains databases, tools, systems, or manual processes connected through directional arrows. On the right-hand side, a key identifies symbol types: cylinders represent “Database”, hexagons represent “Manual Process”, rounded rectangles represent “Customer”, and plain rectangles represent “Tool or System”. At the top, within the “Tender” phase, a rounded rectangle labeled “Customers” connects by an arrow labeled “0” to the cylinder “Requirements Database”. The “Requirements Database” sends three downward arrows labeled “0” into the “Engineering” phase, leading to three rectangular tools: “C A E Mechanical Design” on the left, “C A D” in the center, and “C A E Electric Design” on the right. From “C A D”, a downward arrow labeled “1” leads to the “3 D Drawing Database”, represented as a cylinder. In the “Operations” phase, the “C A E Mechanical Design”, “3 D Drawing Database”, and “C A E Electric Design” each connect to the central rectangle “Product Data Management”, with all arrows labeled “0”. “Product Data Management” connects rightward to “Enterprise Resource Planning” with an arrow labeled “0”. To the left, a rectangle labeled “Visual Factory” is shown but not directly connected to the main downward flow at this stage. In the “Logistics” phase, two system rectangles are shown: “Supply Chain Management Tool” on the left and “Planning and Scheduling Tool” on the right. A downward arrow labeled “1” from “Product Data Management” leads to “Supply Chain Management Tool”. A second downward arrow labeled “0” from “Product Data Management” leads to the “Test Database”, which appears lower in the workflow. “Supply Chain Management Tool” sends an arrow labeled “1” upward to “Enterprise Resource Planning” in “Operations”, and another arrow labeled “1” to “Visual Factory”. A bidirectional arrow labeled “1” connects “Supply Chain Management Tool” and “Planning and Scheduling Tool”. In the “Prototype” phase, a hexagon labeled “Manual Prototype Assembly” receives three arrows: a downward arrow labeled “0” from “Enterprise Resource Planning”, a downward arrow labeled “0” from “Visual Factory”, and a downward arrow labeled “0” from “Planning and Scheduling Tool”. In the “Testing” phase, a cylinder labeled “Test Database” receives inputs as described above. In the “Production” phase, three cylinders appear: “Work Hours”, “Disturbances”, and “Traceability Database”. Arrows labeled “1” from both “Work Hours” and “Disturbances” lead upward to “Supply Chain Management Tool” in the “Logistics” phase. A bidirectional arrow labeled “1” connects “Traceability Database” and “Supply Chain Management Tool”. To the right of the “Production” phase is an “Out of scope” area containing a hexagon labeled “Delivery” and a rounded rectangle labeled “Customer”. An arrow labeled “0” flows from “Traceability Database” to “Delivery”, and another arrow labeled “0” flows from “Delivery” to “Customer”.Current state of product data infrastructure and its relation to the phases of the new product development process (left-hand side). Source(s): (Authors own work)