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.

• Includes detailed discussion of state-of-the art configuration knowledge engineering approaches such as automated testing and debugging, redundancy detection, and conflict management
• 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

Table of Contents

Part 1: Introduction
Chapter 1 Motivation for the Book
Chapter 2 A Short History of Configuration Technologies
Chapter 3 Configuration-Related Topics
Chapter 4 Benefits of Configuration Systems
Chapter 5 Overview of the Book

Part 2: Basics
Chapter 6 Configuration Knowledge Representation and Reasoning
Chapter 7 Conflict Detection and Diagnosis in Configuration
Chapter 8 User Interfaces for Configuration Environments
Chapter 9 Core Capabilities of Sustainable Mass Customization
Chapter 10 Smarthome Configuration Model

Part 3: Advanced Topics
Chapter 11 Knowledge Engineering for Configuration Systems
Chapter 12 Redundancy Detection in Configuration Knowledge
Chapter 13 Personalized Configuration
Chapter 14 Consumer Decision-Making and Configuration Systems
Chapter 15 Configuration-Related Research Challenges

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

Part 5: Configuration Environments
Chapter 22 S’UPREME
Chapter 23 encoway
Chapter 24 KONWERK
Chapter 25 WeeVis
Chapter 26 VariSales
Chapter 27 Product Configuration in SAP: A Retrospective

Part 6: Appendix