Comparison of building information modeling and product lifecycle management approaches from the standpoint of engineering change management

Abstract

Building information modeling (BIM) and product lifecycle management (PLM) are two holistic approaches that are based on digital models and aim to organize and manage product data over a product’s lifecycle. BIM and PLM are quite similar despite their differences and are implemented in different industries, such as the construction industry (which is supported by BIM) and the aerospace industry (which is supported by PLM). According to the literature, it seems that PLM is more mature than BIM. Several research studies have therefore suggested that cross-pollinating BIM and PLM would be beneficial for their respective development in their respective industries. PLM and BIM must therefore be compared to enable effective cross-pollination. However, they are difficult to compare due to the significant differences that exist between their industries and the fact that the studies presented in the literature are often limited to very high-level comparative analysis. According to the literature, these approaches should be compared from a specific point of view. Researchers have proposed a variety of different viewpoints for comparison, such as product structure, system engineering, and configuration view. This doctoral project uses engineering change management (ECM) practices as the basis for comparing BIM and PLM. Engineering changes (ECs) are as inevitable for construction industries as they are for other industries. In addition, ECM is supported by the use of digital models in BIM and PLM. This is an exploratory research endeavor whose primary objective is to compare BIM and PLM from the perspective of ECM in order to identify characteristics and functionalities that could potentially be used for cross-pollination between the two approaches. The research involves describing design change management (DCM) practices in BIM-supported industry and ECM practices in PLM-supported industry. Additionally, the study identifies and analyzes the similarities and differences between DCM in the construction industry (which is supported by BIM) and ECM in the aerospace industry (which is supported by PLM). By examining these variations, this doctoral project seeks to identify transferrable characteristics and functionalities that could enable cross-pollination between BIM and PLM. The doctoral project’s methodology consists of four phases. Phase 1 involved a theoretical study of DCM/ECM that took the form of a literature review. Phase 2 focused on practical case studies. Phase 3 involved conducting the characterization of DCM/ECM processes. And lastly, in Phase 4, potential candidate characteristics and functionalities for cross-pollination between BIM and PLM were identified based on the findings of the previous phases. The project aimed to systematically understand DCM in BIM-supported industry and ECM in PLM-supported industry, address specific objectives and achieve the project’s overall goal. This thesis offers a range of contributions that can be classified into three main categories. First, it improves the description of DCM and ECM practices in BIM- and PLM-supported industries. Second, it characterizes the strengths and limitations of current DCM/ECM practices in both industries in order to combine both approaches’ strengths and mitigate their limitations. Third, it opens up new avenues for identifying characteristics and functionalities that could potentially be used to cross-pollinate BIM and PLM to enhance the productivity of BIM- and PLM-supported industries.

Date	17 Nov 2023
Original language	American English
Awarding Institution	École de technologie supérieure
Supervisor	Conrad Boton (Supervisor) & Louis Rivest (Co-supervisor)