Interoperability Challenges and Scenarios in Computational Design and Manufacturing

A common informal definition of interoperability refers to the ability of a system, whose interfaces are completely understood, to work with other products or systems, present or future, without any restricted access or implementation. In the context of computational design and manufacturing, interoperability subsumes the problems of data sharing, exchange, and translation, as well as the problems of systems integration. Limited or lacking interoperability has emerged as a central unsolved technical problem in research, development, maintenance, scalability and security of such systems, with crippling effect on further advances in conceptual design, simulation, synthesis, optimization, manufacturing planning and productivity gains. In addition to being a major technological barrier, interoperability has became a major economic problem costing the US manufacturing industry billions dollars every year.

In this project, researchers are undertaking a comprehensive investigation of the concept of interoperability in computational design and manufacturing systems and developing a set of specific challenges that must be overcome for interoperability problem to be solved.

Funding provided by DARPA.