Knowledge Based Engineering

A wide range of industries, including the automotive and aerospace sectors, have recognised the benefits that KBE can deliver by investing heavily in the development of this technology over a period of more than 20 years. Within the industry, GKN is one of the leading companies utilising this proven technology across global work programmes.

GKN offers a KBE technical support service to assist customers who are looking to implement this technology. The services we offer range from the provision of KBE resources, through to consultancy support and the development of full applications.

What is KBE ?

KBE is a technology that deals with the capture of knowledge of engineering processes within a software environment. Once the knowledge is captured it is then possible to automatically analyse inputs and generate engineering solutions. It captures the ‘how’ and ‘why’ as well as the geometric ‘what’ of a design.

Generative modelling philosophies are implemented in the KBE solution which consists of a programming language coupled with a geometric modelling capability. This coupling facilitates the creation of custom engineering tools that have the ability to automatically generate engineering data and thereby facilitate process iteration and rework.

The use of a modular architecture enables complex KBE applications to be built from simple objects, thereby maximising code reuse. This allows for rapid application development and the ability to respond to changing project requirements.

Typical Benefits

Technical

• Ability to maintain design and analysis consistency
• Concurrent integration of multi-disciplinary engineering constraints
• Enhanced product optimisation
• Flexibility to respond to design changes

Business

• Up to 1/3 reduction in design cost for repetitive tasks
• A greatly enhanced rework capability
• Knowledge capture and retention
• Reduced product costs
• Release of manpower for re-deployment
• Improved products and customer service / perception

In these ways KBE tools can provide a solution to bottle neck processes, design cost reduction and schedule adherence. It can also enhance design process efficacy for repetitive components, features or design iterations.