Cost estimation architecture for integrated cost control based on information management

Cost control has to be integrated in the product development cycle because it requires information from the entire product development cycle and it can generate information for every engineering task in the product development cycle. Feedback of cost related information is essential for adequate cost control. In order to generate cost information a cost estimation system is required. A cost estimation architecture has been developed based on a cost control architecture and the Manufacturing Engineering Reference Model (MERM) and its related information structures. The way cost information can be added to the information structures is explained. Cost estimation architecture can support all engineering tasks in the product development cycle because multiple cost models can be defined. Cost information can be made visible to the engineering tasks by means of cost views. A variant based cost estimation method based on information structures is outlined and positioned in the cost estimation architecture. A pro...