Proposal of a Knowledge-Based Engineering Methodology for Mass Customization

Overview & Synopsis

The proposed methodology aims to tackle Mass Customization (MC) from a knowledge management perspective and attempts to propose a systematic framework to implement and modify the process of MC, based on best practice with storing the data as experiences, customer behaviors and data related to a specific product family. This process is the result of providing support and appropriate automation of repetitive and routine design tasks to perform multi-disciplinary activities. The forces of the proposed methodology are its ease to use, providing a consistency process of developing and maintaining Knowledge-Based Engineering (KBE) methodology for implementing MC and reduction in lead-time and cost in the design process. A first tentative application made in the apparel industry of the methodology is also reported.