PLUG: An Agent Based Prototype Validation of CAD-Constructions

A new approach for an automatic consistency check in the development of prototypes in the automotive industry is presented. It is based on the observation that inconsistencies between adjacent parts of the prototype can be located at the plugs connecting these parts. This paper describes the PLUG software system whose idea is to assign intelligence to every plug in the system in order to continuously monitor the consistency of the overall design of the prototype. It has been implemented as a multi agent system where each agent is responsible for supervising a specific property of the parts adjacent to such a plug. The properties are structured according to the so called PLUG structural model which is a simple but powerful set theoretical representation of the interaction between adjacent parts. The PLUG project is a research project financed by the Volkswagen AG.