Integrated PLM based library management system and method

1. A product data management (PDM) data processing system comprising:

a processor; and

an accessible memory, wherein the processor is particularly configured to:

determine input characteristics for a main component to be added in a design model;

identify design rules associated with the input characteristics;

traverse a library for library nodes including specifications that contain the design rules;

display a plurality of library elements that correspond to the library nodes that include the specifications containing the design rules;

receive a selection of a library element from the plurality of library elements displayed;

return a library object associated with the library element wherein the main component is the library object associated with the library element;

perform a spare part search for a plurality of post-placement parts required for placement of the main component, wherein the plurality of post-placement parts are associated with post-placement part objects;

perform a spare part search for a plurality of interface-connecting parts required for connection of the main component, wherein the plurality of interface-connecting parts are associated with interface-connecting part objects;

add the main component to the design model along with the post-placement part objects and the interface-connecting part objects; and

display the design model in a display window of a graphical user interface showing placement and connection of the main component, the post-placement part objects and the interface-connecting part objects according to the design rules.

2. The PDM data processing system of claim 1 , further comprises:

find additional application data on the main component, the plurality of post-placement parts, and the plurality of interface-connecting parts.

3. The PDM data processing system of claim 1 , further comprises:

provide the library, wherein the library acts as a container for all library hierarchies and library nodes related to the library and comprises at least one library hierarchy;

provide the at least one library hierarchy, wherein each of the at least one library hierarchy provides a hierarchical organization to structure a plurality of library nodes; and

provide a library element, wherein the library element exposes the library object to the library.

4. The PDM data processing system of claim 3 , further comprising:

classify the library with a classification hierarchy, wherein the classification hierarchy provides a hierarchical organization to structure groups and classes.

5. The PDM data processing system of claim 4 , wherein to classify the library comprises referencing library nodes to classes to create classifying nodes, wherein a classifying node maintains a reference to a corresponding class from the classification hierarchy.

6. The PDM data processing system of claim 3 , further comprising:

associate the library with specifications from a specification repository, wherein the specification repository is a container for the specifications, and wherein the specifications comprises the design rules.

7. The PDM data processing system of claim 3 , further comprising:

implement membership rules that allow objects to be loaded into the library based on an underlying classification.

8. A method for specification based augmented search in a product data management (PDM) data processing system, comprising:

determining, by a processor, input characteristics for a main component to be added in a design model;

identifying, by the processor, design rules associated with the input characteristics;

traversing a library for library nodes including specifications that contain the design rules;

displaying, on a display, a plurality of library elements that correspond to the library nodes that include the specifications containing the design rules;

receiving a selection of a library element from the plurality of library elements displayed;

returning a library object associated with the library element, wherein the main component is the library object associated with the library element;

performing a spare part search for a plurality of post-placement parts required for placement of the main component, wherein the plurality of post-placement parts are associated with post-placement part objects;

performing a spare part search for a plurality of interface-connecting parts required for connection of the main component, wherein the plurality of interface-connecting parts are associated with interface-connecting part objects;

adding, by the processor, the main component to the design model along with the post-placement part objects and the interface-connecting part objects; and

displaying, on the display, the design model in a display window of a graphical user interface showing placement and connection of the main component, the post-placement part objects and the interface-connecting part objects according to the design rules.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprises:

finding additional application data on the main component, the plurality of post-placement parts, and the plurality of interface-connecting parts.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

providing the library, wherein the library acts as a container for all library hierarchies and library nodes related to the library and comprises at least one library hierarchy;

providing the at least one library hierarchy, wherein each of the at least one library hierarchy provides a hierarchical organization to structure a plurality of library nodes; and

providing a library element, wherein the library element exposes the library object to the library.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

classifying the library with a classification hierarchy, wherein the classification hierarchy provides a hierarchical organization to structure groups and classes.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein classifying the library comprises referencing library nodes to classes to create classifying nodes, wherein a classifying node maintains a reference to a corresponding class from the classification hierarchy.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

associating the library with specifications from a specification repository, wherein the specification repository is a container for the specifications, and wherein the specifications comprises the design rules.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

implementing membership rules that allow objects to be loaded into the library based on an underlying classification.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with executable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors of associated product data management (PDM) data processing systems to perform the steps of:

determining input characteristics for a main component to be added in a design model;

identifying design rules associated with the input characteristics;

traversing a library for library nodes including specifications that contain the design rules;

displaying a plurality of library elements that correspond to the library nodes that include the specifications containing the design rules;

receiving a selection of a library element from the plurality of library elements displayed;

returning a library object associated with the library element, wherein the main component is the library object associated with the library element;

performing a spare part search for a plurality of post-placement parts required for placement of the main component, wherein the plurality of post-placement parts are associated with post-placement part objects;

performing a spare part search for a plurality of interface-connecting parts required for connection of the main component, wherein the plurality of interface-connecting parts are associated with interface-connecting part objects;

adding the main component to the design model along with the post-placement part objects and the interface-connecting part objects; and

displaying the design model in a display window of a graphical user interface showing placement and connection of the main component, the post-placement part objects and the interface-connecting part objects according to the design rules.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising:

finding additional application data on the main component, the plurality of post-placement parts, and the plurality of interface-connecting parts.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising:

providing the library, wherein the library acts as a container for all library hierarchies and library nodes related to the library and comprises at least one library hierarchy;

providing the at least one library hierarchy, wherein each of the at least one library hierarchy provides a hierarchical organization to structure a plurality of library nodes; and

providing a library element, wherein the library element exposes the library object to the library.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 , further comprising:

classifying the library with a classification hierarchy, wherein the classification hierarchy provides a hierarchical organization to structure groups and classes.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein classifying the library comprises referencing library nodes to classes to create classifying nodes, wherein a classifying node maintains a reference to a corresponding class from the classification hierarchy.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 , further comprising:

associating the library with specifications from a specification repository, wherein the specification repository is a container for the specifications, and wherein the specifications comprises the design rules.