Product platform design and architecture programming oriented to knowledge engineering

Platform-based product family development is a good way for implementing mass customization based on knowledge engineering. From view of knowledge engineering the product platform can be defined as the common knowledge base of a set of similar product which grouped into a product family. Product platform design is a process that common knowledge set is identified from a set of relevant products. Product configuration is a process that the knowledge elements are applied and reorganized. Similarity is a prerequisite to build a common platform for a set of product. From point of design the similarity can lie in the function domain, technology domain or structure domain, then product platform can be built in three domains which form a hiberachy framework for constitute a common knowledge base of a product platform family. The steps with methods for product platform design in different domain are discussed. In order to adapt a variety of products in a company and manage the upgrade and renewal of the product platform which result in change in architecture and content of the knowledge base, a method of platform architecture programming based on platform in three domains is put forward.