C63327488-108 OPTVSUM Options and Variants 001 R

Palma Software User Manual
Options & Variants
THALES GROUP INTERNAL

www.thalesgroup.com
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001 Initialisation from PALMA V4.4.2 for PALMA V5.0.0 - Initial Version for PALMA V5.0.0 23-12-2019
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party without the prior written consent of Thales - © Thales 2017 All rights reserved.
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Written by L.SIEGFRIED (PLM Process Expert) 23-12-2019
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C63327488-108_OPTVSUM_Options_And_Variants_001 – Dec. 2019
2 Thales Global Services / template : 87211168-GRP-EN-003
Table of content
1 Basics of Product Line Engineering (PLE)
2 Palma capabilities for Options & Variants
3 Manage product line in PALMA

4 GUI
5 Change Management
6 Manage product line in PALMA with Pure::Variant

Product Line Engineering
Basics
▌ Few systems are unique. Most organizations produce families of similar Products/Systems, differentiated by features.
A feature is a distinctive characteristic of a system of interest :

- allows to manage the commonalities (mandatory feature) or variability (Option, Alternative,… feature) of the Product (e.g. Assets elements),
- includes both functional and non-functional attributes such as performance and reusability,
- can be understood by end-users and/or other stakeholders (e.g. developers).
▌ Indeed, products can have variations such as different colors, styles, sizes, and sometimes a combination of two or more such varying
factors.
▌ In that case, it is interesting to manage a “product line”, i.e. a group of items which are similar or related.
▌ Example of variant:
▌ Example of option:
Item choice in the final system/product.
Yes/No choice to include an item in the final system
Language air- conditioning

of Yes No
software
other

Basics
▌ What is a Product Line?

A set of Products/Systems sharing common or variable characteristics and structure
▌ Implementing a Product-Line strategy (and propose modular solutions) is a key driver of Thales competitive advantage.
▌ Instead of creating a fully new product for each new customer request, it is interesting to manage building blocks (modular
and configurable elements).
▌ This enables to take into account individual customer needs and environment within a customized and integrated solution.
B Customer Solution

Basics
▌ Implement a Product-Line strategy enables:

To shorten the development phase (create data, breakdowns structures and dossiers faster and cheaper)
To control the data efficiently (change process, consistency of all the programs/projects with the product-
line strategy)
To provide (ASAP, at SOR review) a set of documents for the project, helpful for the BID managers and
design phases (catalogue approach, information,…).

To guide the design and development phases with rules (compatibility, dependency…) check list of
questions, identification of existing or not solutions,…
To increase the reuse of existing items
To reduce cost to define a new variant, avoid mistakes, maintain consistency between projects
To enable configuration management, especially change control, on a set of similar products.

Basics
▌ If you wish to sell products that differ slightly from one another (but slightly) (e.g. in color or in size), to be
more efficient, each BOM needs to be based on a common Structure (including all the variability).
▌ Option and Variant Management extends product structure to allow you to create different product variants
that are derived from a generic product structure (GPS) as part of the configuration process. This supports
part reuse and build-to-order products.

8
Reuse Category
Thales Global Services / template : 87211168-GRP-EN-003


Feature Model
▌ Management of product variability using a "Feature Model":

Once the Product is scoped, it is essential to precisely define its boundary. What the externally visible characteristics will be and,
notably, the allowed variation: what could vary & what should not? Consider first the customer and business points of view and then
the engineering point of view. For this activity the preferred support is a Feature Model.
This practice applies to Reuse Category E and F.
▌ What does “Feature Model” means:

The Feature Model is a well-arranged structure. It is a tree where the features/leaves represent characteristics and have Variation
Types (mandatory, optional, disjunctive or (“at least one among..."), exclusive alternatives (“only one among...”)), and nodes allow
structuring, i.e., grouping related characteristics, or groups of related characteristics, in order to make the model more
understandable. Also constraints dependencies between features are represented.
Relations among features are implicitly expressed by the tree structure (hierarchy) itself.
▌ Using a “Feature Model”:
There is a template in Excel format available in Chorus and a dedicated tool named Pure::Variant.
 https://ecm.corp.thales/livelink/livelink.exe?func=ll&env=prd&objAction=download&objId=65640486

Table of content

4 GUI
5 Change Management

Palma capabilities for Options & Variants
General Description
▌ A Product Line approach can be applied for products or for systems, during the Specification or the Design phases.
▌ It consists in defining the generic rules and generic data describing a product-line that can have a pre-defined architecture
based on building blocks, allowing reuse and consistency of the product policy.
▌ Generic products/systems include possible predefined variations to match with different system/product functional
requirements, these variations taking the form of variants or options.
▌ The main targets of this type of capability implemented in PALMA is to:
ease the creation of the product structure for a project or standard configurations
manage and control the product-line
guide and help the specification and/or the definition of products/systems.
▌ This approach can be led in one single unit / site but can also imply collaboration between different units / sites. This is
typically the case for building blocks that can be developed by a unit in order to provide different other units with a pre-defined
and shared catalogue.

General Description
▌ Palma capability can be used for one, some or all of the following reasons
Manage building blocks
Define product lines in public domain
Manage product line policy in public domain
Identify, manage item families
Differentiate spec or design defined for product from the ones defined for a given project
Automate the creation of items and/or breakdowns structures
▌ Options and variants capabilities are based on specific objects in PALMA called:
“Configurable Module” (available for Specified Item and design item)
Options
Choices
Options Set
“Variant specification”
“Variant part”

Activate Options & Variants module in Palma
▌ Since Palma v4.3 the Options & Variants module is activated by default with following configuration:

Module Options & Variants - Glossary
▌ Option pool: each container have an Option pool where Options, Choices and rules are created
Option set: is a collection of options and choices, with rules defined among the choices (represent the features model).
Option: a capability or a feature of a product, which can be designed with variations.
- For example, an option ‘Color’ may have choices ‘Red’, ‘Green’ and ‘Blue’ for the product.
Choice: is a value assigned to an option.
- For example, an option ‘Color’ can have ‘Red’, ‘Green’ and ‘Blue’ as choices.
Exclude Rule: An exclude rule restricts the selection of choices that are incompatible.
- For example, if option Voltage has the choice 110 v selected, then option Frequency cannot have the choice 50 Hz selected.
Include Rule: An include rule associates a selection of one option choice to one or more related option choices.
- For example, if option Country has the choice United States selected, then option Voltage should have the choice of 110 v selected automatically.
Enable Rules: When you are making choice selections while filtering or configuring a part structure, enable rules control which option choices
are available for selection, depending on a particular condition. When the source choice is selected, the specific target choices are enabled,
while the other choices, defined for these options, are disabled.
- For example in our product line, we have the option Fuel with the choices Gas and Gas-oil and the option Engine with the choices Gas 115 Ch,
Diesel 95 Ch and Diesel 130 Ch. We can create an enable rule which stipulates that when we select Fuel = Gas-oil, only Diesel 95 Ch and Diesel
130 Ch are available for selection for the Engine option, while Gas 115 Ch as a choice is disabled.

Module Options & Variants - Glossary
▌ Configurable module: is a part (Item or Specified Item) that may have one or more children parts, which represent variations
in the design and configuration of a component or a functional unit. Configurable module is use to build in variability into a
product structure.
A configurable module cannot be linked as children to a part that is not itself a configurable module.
▌ Variant specification: is a record of choices for a project or standard configurations. When applicable, that are provided during
a configuration process and are used to generate a variant part structure.
▌ Variant: A part or part structure representing a specific configuration of the configurable product structure. The inputs used to
create its variant are stored in the variant specification.
▌ Assign Expression: the function “Assign Expression” allows to specify the conditions that determine whether an
interchangeable or optional part is included in the product structure. The assigned expressions are used to produce a desired
configuration of the product structure by excluding or including module variants. The choices used in expressions are contained
in the assigned option set. The assigned option set must be present to support expression assignment and filtering.

Roles
▌ Roles described below to managed the Options & Variants objects does not represent roles as described in the Thales referential
(DDQS...). For instance, a PLM (Product Line Manager) or DAPL (Design Authority for Product Line) shall cumulate several
roles in PALMA.
Product Option As-Designed Option Manager + Option Manager +

Roles in Palma:
Manager Manager Manager As-Designed Manager Product Manager
Create Option Set YES YES NO YES YES

Assign Option Set NO NO NO NO YES
ITEM CONTAINER + Item
Assign Expression YES NO ITEM INWORK
INWORK and SI (all State)
Create Option YES YES NO YES YES
Create Choice YES YES NO YES YES
Create Rules YES YES NO YES YES
Configure NO YES NO YES YES
Request Deliverables YES NO NO YES YES

Table of content

4 GUI
5 Change Management

Manage product line in PALMA
Process overview
Ba se line Pro duc t VARIANT SPEC:

Ba se line Pro je c t O1C1
O2C3
Step4 • Create in Palma (option pool of the
* Configurable Module
Variant part
O1C2
O3C1 1 container) the Options, Choices,
exclude rules, include rules, enable
O3C2 rule and Option Set
Product building
Standard part O5C1
• Create in Palma the generic

2 breakdown structure
Step1 Step2
*
Step5 • Assign the Option Set to the top
configurable item of the generic
Option Set 1
Step3 * 3 structure
• Assign a choice to each object of the
O1
structure
O1C1
O1C2
O2 • For each project, configure the generic
Project derivation
O2C2
O2C3
* 4 breakdown structure to create the
Variant Specification
O3
O3C1
O3C2 * Collapsible • From the Variant Specification, launch
O5 5 the automatic creation of the variant
structure
O5C1
O5C2
Manage product line in PALMA Option Manager
Use Case description
▌The next slides described how to create a product line based on a vehicle (light
version)
Our product line has define the following variation point:
- Fuel:
– Gas
– Gas-oil
- Engine:
– Gas 115 Ch
– Diesel 95 Ch
– Diesel 130 Ch
- Rim size:
– 17 inches
– 20 inches
- Paint Color:
– Dark Blue
– Red Devil
- Equipment:
– GPS
– Pack BOSE
Option Pool: creation of options and Choices (1/3)
Required: when an option is set to Required = Yes, that mean it

is mandatory to choose at least one choice of this option when
configuring the generic structure
Single Choice Selection: if yes then only one choice can be

selected for this option (of type alternative) (ex: for option Fuel
you can choose only one choice among Gas and Gas-oil). If
several choice is allowed, you can select one or several choice
(ex: for option Equipment you can select GPS and Pack BOSE)

2- Click on “Palma Design Choice” tab

3- Click on “New Choice”
1- On the left pane of the “Option

Pool”, select the option
4- Fill the fields
5- Click on “OK”

▌Repeat the previous steps to create all the Options and Choices:

Option Pool: definition of logic rules (1/3)
▌ Once the Options and Choices are created, you can define the logic using 3 types of rules:
Include Rules: capture a logical association between product features, ensuring that the correct choices are
selected when a product structure is filtered. By introducing include rules, you enforce relationships among
related choices, streamlining the selection of the choices for filtering a configurable structure.
- To create an include rule, you select a source choice and associate it with target choices, which are automatically selected when
the source choice is selected.
- Example: In our product line, we propose 3 models of engine. One using Gas (Gas 115 Ch) and the 2 others using Gas-oil
(Diesel 95 Ch. and Diesel 130 Ch.). It can be useful to create an include rule with source choice = Gas (option Fuel) and target
choice = Gas 115 Ch (option Engine). Thanks to this rule, when configure our generic structure, if we choose Fuel = Gas then
the choice Gas 115 Ch. is automatically chosen.

Exclude Rules: capture incompatible choices that should not be selected together.
- To create an exclude rule, you indicate the choices that cannot be selected together. During option filtering, selecting
one of these choices makes the other choices referenced by the rule not selectable.
- Example: In our product line, we propose 3 models of engine. One using Gas (Gas 115 Ch) and the 2 others using Gas-oil
(Diesel 95 Ch. and Diesel 130 Ch.). It can be useful to create an exclude rule that exclude the selection of the choice = Gas 115
Ch (option Engine) if the choice Gas-oil is selected for the option Fuel. Thanks to this rule, when configure our generic
structure, if we choose Fuel = Gas-oil then the choice Gas 115 Ch. Cannot be selected.

Enable Rules: when you are making choice selections while filtering or configuring a generic structure, enable
rules control which option choices are available for selection, depending on a particular condition. An enable
rule links the source choice of one option with specific target choices of other options. When the source choice is
selected, the specific target choices are enabled, while the other choices, defined for these options, are disabled.
- Example: In our product line, we have the option Fuel with the choices Gas and Gas-oil and the option Engine with the choices
Gas 115 Ch, Diesel 95 Ch and Diesel 130 Ch. We can create an enable rule which stipulates that when we select Fuel = Gas-oil,
only Diesel 95 Ch and Diesel 130 Ch are available for selection for the Engine option, while Gas 115 Ch as a choice is disabled.

Option Pool: creation of Include Rules
▌ For our product line, as we have only one engine using Gas as fuel we want to create an enable rule that
automatically choose Gas 115 Ch for the option Engine when Gas is selected for the option Fuel :
If fuel = Gas, include engine = Gas 115 Ch
1- Do a right click on the source Choice

(Gas) and click on “New Include Rule)”
2- Click on the option

“Engine” and select
“Gas 115 Ch.”
Option Pool: creation of Exclude Rules
▌ For our product line, we want to exclude the selection of the choices “GPS” and “Pack BOSE” for the option
“Equipment” when selected the choice “No” for the option “Equipped”:
2- Display the “Exclude

Rules” tab and click on
1- Click on the product “New Exclude Rule”
3- Select “Equipped” = “No” and

“Equipment” = “GPS” and “Pack BOSE”
If Equipped = NO, exclude Equipment = GPS, Pack BOSE

THALES GROUP INTERNAL 3- Click on “OK”
Option Pool: creation of Enable Rules
▌ For our product line, we want to allows the selection of the choices “Diesel 95 Ch” and “Diesel 130 Ch” for
the option “Engine” only when the choice “Gas-oil” is selected for the option “Fuel”:
1- Do a right click on the source Choice (Gas-oil) 2- Click on the option “Engine” and select
and click on “New Enable Rule)” “Diesel 95 Ch” and “Diesel 130 Ch”
If fuel = Gas-oil, enable engine = Diesel 95 Ch , Diesel 130 Ch

Option Pool: show created rules
▌ From the Option Pool, display the tabs “Include Rules”, “Exclude Rules” or “Enable Rules” on the right
pane to see the existing rules:

Option Set - Creation
▌ In PALMA the Feature Model of the product line is represented by a specific object called Option Set.
1- Display the “Palma

Option Set” tab
2- From the table “Option Sets”,

click on “New Option Set”

Option Set - Creation
Allow Assignment of Exclude Choices: Enables choice

assignment and filtering such that the part is excluded rather than
included in the product structure. For example, if the usage of the
part is assigned Engine≠Gas, then when Gas is selected as one of
the filtering criteria in the Option filter, that part is excluded from
3- Fill the fields the resulting product structure
Allow Assignment of Expressions to Non-Configurable Items:

Controls the assignment of expressions to a product structure. If the

value of this attribute is set to No, users can assign expressions to
configurable modules and to their usage links. If it is set to Yes,
users can assign expressions to standard (that is, non-configurable)
parts as well.
Allow Date Effectivity for Choices: Allows you to set effectivity

dates for choices. The effectivity dates are taken into account during
the choice assignment and filtering
Reference Option Pool Rules Automatically: Determines whether

global rules should be inherited by the option set. If set to Yes,
global rules are inherited and cannot be individually selected when
4 – Click on “OK” choices are added to the option set. If set to No, you can selectively
determine which rules should be inherited by the option set

Option Set – Manage Choices
▌Once the Option Set is created, you need to reference the choices of the option pool
you want to use to configure the generic structure
1- Click on the option set

previously created to display
the details page

2- Display the “Structure” tab

3- Click on “Manage Choices”
4- In our case, we want to include all

the choices of the option pool but it is
possible to include only specifics choices

The attribute “Reference Option Pool Rules Automatically” is defined with the value “Yes”.
Consequently the rules defined in the Option Pool are inherited in the Option Set.
It is possible to:
• create local rules applicable only for this Option Set
• to create all the rules previously created in the option pool only
in local for this Option Set
If the attribute “Reference Option Pool Rules Automatically” is defined with the value “No” it
is necessary to create local rules in order to avoid error when configure the generic structure.

Option Set – Validation
▌Before validate the Option Set, it is recommended to test the rules defined:
Reminder of the rules created:

1- Click on “Preview”


For the option “Fuel”, select the choice “Gas”

”Gas 115 Ch” is automatically selected for the option “Engine”


For the option “Equipped”, select the choice “No”

it is impossible to select “GPS” or “System
BOSE” for the option “Equipment”


For the option “Fuel”, select the choice “Gas-oil”

only “Diesel 95 Ch” and “Diesel 130 Ch” can
be selected for the option “Engine”

▌ Once the Option Set is populated and the rules are correctly defined, we can validate it
Only “Released” Option Set can be assigned to a

container or a configurable part (Item or SI)

Generic Product Structure
▌ Option and Variant Management extends product structure to allow you to create different
product variants that are derived from a generic product structure 150% (GPS) as part of the
configuration process. This supports part reuse and build-to-order products.
The steps described in the next slides are based on the definition breakdown structure (Design Item) but can be
performed for development breakdown structure (Specified Item).
In case of generic structure based on Specified Item (CI), the AsDesigned Manager shall be replaced by the As-
Specified Manager.

▌ 2 attributes are available to support the management of options and variants in the generic
product structure (Item or Specified Item):
Configurable Module:
- The value of this attribute can only be defined at creation. It is not possible to edit this attribute.
- A configurable module cannot be linked as children to a part that is not itself a configurable module
Collapsible:
- Is only available for part with attribute Configurable Module = Yes

- Is editable
▌ Creating Module Variants with Collapsible Middle Nodes

If a configurable module is defined as collapsible, then when generating a variant, it is replaced by its child standard part, and the
quantity of standard parts is adjusted accordingly.
- For example, a configurable module Tire has two interchangeable standard parts with different tire characteristics (each with quantity of 2).
If the Tire part is defined as collapsible, in the resulting deliverable the configurable module is replaced by the child part that matches the
variant specification. If the configurable module has quantity 2, then the quantity of the standard part takes into account the quantity of the
configurable module, and it this case lists the quantity of 4.

The ability to collapse the configurable modules allows you to streamline the structure to show the actual parts that are used to create
a product. The next figure shows a structure that includes configurable modules.
Configurable Module
and
Collapsible
Is a variant of
If all configurable modules at middle nodes are defined as collapsible, then the deliverable generated from this structure using a
variant specification produces a simplified variant structure, as shown in the next figure.

Manage product line in PALMA AsDesigned
Manager
Generic Product Structure - Creation
▌ For our product line, the following Generic Product Structure has been created:
* VEHICLE Model X
Engine
*
Gas 115 ch
Diesel 95 ch
Diesel 130 ch
Distribution Pulley
* wheel
Rim size
*
Rim 17 inches
Rim 20 inches
Tires
*
Primacy 3 205-55-R17
Pilot 225-40-R20
Paint_Color
*
Dark Blue
Red Devil
Equipment
*
Navigation System
BOSE Speaker system
Standard part THALES GROUP INTERNAL

Configurable Module Collapsible
43 *
▌ Control on consistency between Configurable Module attribute and Functional Status:

Functional Status shall always be empty for configurable modules. At creation or edition if the attribute “Configurable Module” is set to Yes and the
attribute “Functional Status” is not empty then a error message is displayed:
▌ As it has no sense to create a variant of a generic structure, the Palma function "Create Variant" should never be available for
Configurable Modules.

▌ Control on consistency between Configurable Module attribute and CAGE/ICD:

An item or SI with the Configurable Module attribute set to ‘Yes’ shall have an internal CAGE/ICD, otherwise an error message is displayed at
creation or edition:
- "ERROR: Only internal CAGE/ICD are allowed if attribute ‘Configurable Module’ = ‘Yes’."

Manage product line in PALMA Product Manager
+
Generic Product Structure – Assign an Option Set Option Manager
▌ In order to affect choices to an element of the generic product structure it is necessary to assign
the Option Set to the top Item :
1 - From the details page of the top item of
the generic product structure, click on
“Palma Variant” tab
2 - From the “Assigned Option Set”

table, click on “Assign Option Set”
3 – Select the Option Set

then click on “OK”

46 Only Released Option Set are proposed
Manager
Generic Product Structure – Assign choices
▌ We are now able to affect the choices of the Option Set to the generic product structure. In our example we
will affect the choices as below:
01 - Fuel * VEHICLE Model X

Gas
Engine
*
Gas-oil Gas 115 ch
02 - Engine Diesel 95 ch
Gas 115 ch
Diesel130 ch
Diesel 95 ch Distribution Pulley
Diesel 130 ch
* wheel
03 - Rim Size Rim size
*
17 inches Rim 17 inches
20 inches Rim 20 inches
04 - Color Tires
*
Model X Feature Model Dark Blue Primacy 3 205-55-R17
Red Devil Pilot 225-40-R20
05 - Equipped Paint_Color
*
Yes Dark Blue
No Red Devil
06 - Equipment
Equipment
*
GPS Navigation System
Pack BOSE BOSE Speaker system
Manager
1 – Do a right click on the child item to

assign the choice to the usage link then click
on “Assign expression”
It is possible to affect a choice to a part instead of the usage link (right click on the
part in the left pane). In this case, this choice is applicable in any structures where
the part is used.

Manager
In this example, we want the affect a choice

to the link between ENGINE and DIESEL
130CH.
2 – Select the choice Diesel 130 Ch related to

the Option Engine then click on “OK”

Manager

Manager
Generic Product Structure – Filter
▌ Before Released the Generic Product Structure, it is recommended to test configurations by

applying a filter on the structure:
1 – Click on “Edit Filter” 2 – Display the “Option
Filter” tab

Manager
3 – Select the choice to

apply
4 – Click on “OK”

Manager
Structure 150% not filtered: Apply Structure filtered:

Filter
Collapsible parts are also displayed

Manager
Generic Product Structure – Validation
▌ Once the Generic Product Structure is tested and validated, we can Released it

Configure a project derivation
▌ The next steps describe how to generate a variant solution for a project or standards
configurations:
1 – From the top item of the Generic

Product Structure, display the
“Actions” menu then click on
“Configure”
Configure action is only available for the

configurable parts at Released state

2 – Click on “Option Filter” tab and

select the choices to apply
If fuel = Gas, include engine =

Gas 115 Ch
When choosing Gas for the option Fuel

then Gas 115 Ch is automatically
selected for the option Engine as defined If Equipped = NO, exclude Equipment =
in the include rule GPS, Pack BOSE
When choosing No for the option

Equipped then choices for the option
Equipment are not available as defined
in the exclude rule
3 – Click on “Next”

4 – You can preview the filtered structure. If

ok click on “Next” if not click on “Back” to
modify the choices

5 – Select “Create a new Variant

Specification” and click on
“Next”
6 – Fill the fields and click on “Finish”

Configure a project derivation - Variant Specification
1 – From the top item of the Generic

Product Structure, display the “Palma
Variant” tab to see the variant
specification

Variant Specification - Reconfigure
▌As long as the variant specification is at In Work state, it is possible to reconfigure it

Display the “Actions” menu and

click on “Reconfigure”

+
Variant Specification – Request Deliverables AsDesigned Manager
▌ Once the choices to apply are recorded and validated in the variant specification, it is time to
generate the variant solution (PBS of the project):
Display the “Actions” menu

and click on “Request
Deliverables”

+
Variant Specification – Request Deliverables AsDesigned Creator
If the process finish without error then the variant solution is

automatically generated and the variant of the top item is displayed

in the “Complete Deliverables” table”
Select “Create New Module

Variant” and click on “OK”
If an error occur during the request deliverables process then no variant solution is generated and “Error” is displayed in the column “Status”.
You can click on the icon for more information about the error. In our case, the user has only the option manager rights. To fix this error,
the As-Designed Creator rights on the container has been added to the user
Generic Product Structure versus Variant Solution
Product Project
(Generic Product Structure) (Variant Solution/derivation)
f
to
ir an
a va
Is

Initialization rules for Variant Item (1/2)
Initialization Rules for variant generation from

▌ Request Deliverable - Initialization rules for Item Item Attribute Display Name
a variant specification
Category "Category" value of the configurable Item
Product Maturity Default value defined in DATM
When a variant Item is created by Palma with the "Configure" Name "Name" value of the configurable Item
function from a configurable Item (attribute "Configurable Number generated
State In Work
Module" = yes) as well with the "Request Deliverable" function End Item "End Item" value of the configurable Item
from a Variant Specification then attributes of the variant Item Version first value of the schema
must be initialized as below: Main Item User that request the deliverable from the
Attributes Modified By
variant specification
Last Modified creation date
Secured Documents Linked empty
"Default Traced By" value of the configurable
Default Traced By
Item
Item Type "Item Type" value of the configurable Item
Configurable Module No
Collapsible No
Root Number generated
CAGE CAGE value of the configurable Item
ICD ICD value of the configurable Item
Functional Status empty
Default Unit "Default Unit" value of the configurable Item
Reusable Default value defined in DATM
Reuse Category Default value defined in DATM
General Item Reuse Mode Default value defined in DATM
Attributes Base Tracking Identifier "Root Number" value
"English Description" value of the configurable
English Description
Item
"French Description" value of the configurable
French Description
Item
Comment "Comment" value of the configurable Item
User that request the deliverable from the
Created By
variant specification
Created On creation date

Initialization rules for Variant Item (2/2)
Item Attribute Display Name Initialization Rules for variant generation from a variant specification
Technical Classification "Technical Classification" value of the configurable Item
COTS "COTS" value of the configurable Item
Authorization Code "Authorization Code" value of the configurable Item
Obsolescence Status "Obsolescence Status" value of the configurable Item
Item Technical
LBO Date "LBO Date" value of the configurable Item
Group Data
Local PPL Status "Local PPL Status" value of the configurable Item
Source "Source" value of the configurable Item

Is a Phantom "Is a Phantom" value of the configurable Item
Is a Capability List "Is a Capability List" value of the configurable Item
Is Logistic Assembly "Is Logistic Assembly" value of the configurable Item
Logistic Status "Logistic Status" value of the configurable Item
HW Item
Spareable "Spareable" value of the configurable Item
Attributes
Repairable "Repairable" value of the configurable Item
Shelf Life (days) "Shelf Life (days)" value of the configurable Item
SW Item Software Baseline ID "Software Baseline ID" value of the configurable Item
Attributes Software Build ID "Software Build ID" value of the configurable Item

Initialization rules for Variant Specified Item
▌ Request Deliverable - Initialization rules for Specified

Initialization Rules for variant generation from a variant
Item Specified Item Attribute Display Name
specification
Name "Name" of the configurable Specified Item
When a variant Specified Item is created by Palma with the Number generated
"Configure" function from a configurable Specified Item State In Work
(attribute "Configurable Module" = yes) as well with the End Item "End Item" value of the configurable Specified Item
"Request Deliverable" function from a Variant Specification Version first value of the schema
then attributes of the variant Specified Item must be initialized
as below: Modified By User that request the deliverable from the variant specification
Main Specified Item
Attributes Last Modified creation date

SI category "SI category" value of the configurable Specified Item
Development Criterion "Development Criterion" value of the configurable Specified Item
Secured Documents Linked empty
Configurable Module No
Collapsible No
Root Number generated
CAGE CAGE value of the configurable Item
ICD ICD value of the configurable Item
Reusable Default value defined in DATM
Reuse Category Default value defined in DATM
Reuse Mode Default value defined in DATM
General Specified
Item Attributes English Description "English Description" value of the configurable Specified Item
French Description "French Description" value of the configurable Specified Item
Comment "Comment" value of the configurable Specified Item
Created By User that request the deliverable from the variant specification
Created On creation date
Variant creation – target container
▌ When the variant structure is generated by Palma from the “Request Deliverable” function of the Variant Specification, the variants of the configurable
modules must be created in the same container as the configurable module.

Configure a Generic Product Structure using the same configuration of a previous project
▌ When using the “Configure” action, if the collection of choices selected is already registered in a previous
Variant Specification then this one is proposed to be reused. It is recommended to create a new Variant
Specification for each new project or standard configurations.
2 – Click on “Option Filter” tab and select the same
choices as the previous configuration
3 – Click on “Next” twice

1 – From the top item of the Generic Product
Structure, display the “Actions” menu then
click on “Configure”
The matching Variant

Specification are proposed

Specification” and click on “Next”

The matching Variant Solution are proposed. In this case it is

the variant generated by the previous Variant Specification
using the same configuration
6 - Display the “Actions”

menu and click on “Request
Deliverables”
7 – As it is a new project, select

“Create New Module Variant”

▌ Even if the configuration is the same for the 2 projects the top item of the project A is not reused
for project B but the structure is well reused
Project A Project B
(Variant Solution/derivation) (Variant Solution/derivation)

▌ It is possible to not allowing to reuse a variant generated for project to another one
f
to
ir an
a va
Is
In this example for the project A, a variant of the configurable

item “Engine” has been generated
1 – Display the detail page of the variant item
35123694~F8839~0026, ENGINE

2 - Display the “Palma Variant” tab
3 – Check the box and click on “Remove association

from being re-used as a variant for the configurable
module.”
This action is also available from the configurable

module page. It is also possible to add a part to be
reused for variant generation

5 – Click on “Option Filter” tab and

select the same choices as the previous
configuration
4 – From the top item of the Generic Product

Structure, display the “Actions” menu then
click on “Configure”
6 – Click on “Next” twice

The matching Variant Specification are proposed but as the variant of Engine used for the 2
previous projects cannot be reused then the status displayed for the variant is “Non-matching
Variant”

Specification” and click on “Next”

As the variant of Engine used for the 2 previous projects cannot

be reused then no matching variant of the top item are
proposed to be reused
9 - Display the “Actions”

menu and click on “Request
Deliverables”
10 – As it is a new project, select

“Create New Module Variant”

▌ We can see that the variant of “Engine” for the project C is not the same that for the projects A
and B but the variant of “Wheel” used is the same for the 3 projects
Project A Project B Project C


Variant Specification - Compare
▌ It is possible to compare 2 Variant Specifications (only 2 in the same time)
2 – Click on “Compare Variant Solution”

1 – Select the Variant

Specifications to compare

Table of content

4 GUI
5 Change Management

GUI
Icons
▌ In order to distinguish configurable Item and configurable Specified Item in a structure, 5 new
icons has been added in Palma:
Object type Configurable Module Category CAGE and ICD Icon
item No HW Internal Company
item Yes HW Internal Company
item No HW External Company

item Yes HW External Company
item No SW Internal Company
item Yes SW Internal Company
item No SW External Company
item Yes SW External Company
Object type Configurable Module Icon

Specified Item No
Specified Item Yes

GUI
Item and Specified Item – Palma Variant tab
▌ A specific tab named “Palma Variants" allows to show objects related to Options & Variants:
Table Name Item Configurable Item Specified Item Configurable SI

Variant Specifications Not Displayed Displayed Not Displayed Displayed
Variant Specifications for this Module Variant Displayed Not Displayed Displayed Not Displayed
Module Variant Not Displayed Displayed Not Displayed Displayed
Configurable Modules Displayed Not Displayed Displayed Not Displayed
Assigned Option Set Not Displayed Displayed Not Displayed Displayed
Assigned Basic Expressions Choices Not Displayed Displayed Not Displayed Displayed
Variants Displayed Not Displayed Not Displayed Not Displayed
Variant of Displayed Not Displayed Not Displayed Not Displayed

Table of content

4 GUI
5 Change Management

Change Management
Rules for Options & Variants specifics objects
▌ It is possible to create a Problem Report or ECR from the following type of objects:
Choice
Option Set
▌ It is possible to add the following objects as “Affected Objects” or “Resulting Objects” of a Problem Report or ECR:
Choice
Option Set
▌ It is possible to create “Update Dossier” task from the following objects:
Option Set

Change Management
Automatisms on Affected Objects
▌ When creating a PR from an “Option Set”, following objects are automatically added as affected object of the PR:
Item and Specified item (at RELEASED state) where the option set is assigned
▌ When creating a PR from a “Variant Specification”, following objects are automatically added as affected object of the PR:
Item or Specified Item (at RELEASED state) linked as deliverable of the variant specification
Configurable Module (at RELEASED state) linked to the “Variant Specification”
▌ When creating a PR from a “Configurable Module” (Item or SI with attribute Configurable Module = “Yes”), following objects are
automatically added as affected object of the PR:
Assigned Option Set (at RELEASED state)

“Variant Specification” created from this module configurable (at RELEASED state)
Objects linked to the configurable module in the “Module Variants” table (at RELEASED state)
▌ When creating a PR from an Item or SI with attribute Configurable Module = “No”, following objects are automatically added as
affected object of the PR:
Linked “Variant Specification” (at RELEASED state)

Linked configurable module (at RELEASED state)

Table of content

4 GUI
5 Change Management

Manage product line in PALMA with Pure::Variant
Process overview from Pure::Variant to Palma
• Tag the features to be implemented in

Palma
1
Normalized interfaces
Variant description .vdm
VARIANT SPEC: • Create in Pure Variant a baseline that
O1 O1C1 contains the features to implement in
Step1 O1C1|O2 O1C2|O3
O2C3
O1C2
Palma
DATI O3C1 • Export the Baseline from Pure Variant

02C1O4 O2C2 O2C3 O3C1 O3C2|O5
Step5 O3C2 in DATI file format
Product building
O5C1 2 • Import into Palma the DATI file to
create the Option Set, Options and
Feature model .xfm
O4C1 O4C2 O5C1 O5C2 Choices
Step3 • Create in Palma the generic

Normalized interfaces
Step6 3
Step2 *
breakdown structure
Option Set 1
* • Assign the Option Set to the top
O1 configurable item of the generic
DATI O1C1
O1C2 Step4 4 structure
• Assign a choice to each object of the
structure
O2
Im pa c t o n Pa lma • For each project, create in Pure Variant
O2C2
* a baseline that contains the choices
Project derivation
O2C3 • Export the Baseline from Pure Variant
Ba se line Pro duc t
Ba se line Pro je c t O3
5 in DATI file format.
• Import into Palma the DATI file to
create the Variant Specification
O3C1
* Configurable Module
O3C2 * Collapsible
Variant part
O5 • From the Variant Specification, launch
Standard part O5C1 6 the creation of the variant structure
O5C2
Process – Creation Initialization for a Product Line
Product building
• Create in Palma a Business Document
Creation
• Add the DATI file (containing the
DATI file format

feature model) as Primary Content
• From the Business Document , create a

new Business Baseline
GM200_FeatureM
odel-v001.csv

Product building
Creation
• Import the DATI file into Palma in order
to create Options, Choices and
OptionSet

Manage product line in PALMA with Pure::Variant 1• Create the generic breakdown structure
• Assign the Option Set (at RELEASED
Product building
2
state) to the top item
Creation
• Assign the choices to corresponding
3 item
• Add the generic breakdown structure

4 to the Business Baseline
• Add the OptionSet to the Business

5 Baseline
1
3
2
5

Process – Creation Initialization for a Project
Project derivation
• Create in Palma a Business Document
Creation
• Add the DATI file (containing the
Variant Spec with the selected choices)
GM200_VariantSp as Primary Content
DATI file format ec_BAM3D-v001.csv
• From the Business Document , create a

new Business Baseline

Manage product line in PALMA with Pure::Variant • Import the DATI file into Palma in order
Process – Creation Initialization for a Project to create the Variant Specification
Project derivation
• Add in the table “Completed
Creation
Deliverables” the Business Document
related to the DATI file of the Variant
Specification
• In the actions menu, click on “Request

Deliverables” to create the variant
solution

Process – Creation Initialization for a Project
Project derivation
• Add the Variant Specification to the
Creation
Business Baseline
• Add the variant structure to the Business

Baseline

Process – Update for a Product Line or a Project
▌ Each time Pure::Variant publish a new version of the Feature Model (= Option Set) or the Variant
Description (= Variant Specification) it is mandatory to create a change (PR) or/and an evolution (ECR) and
to analyze the impact on the Option Set, Generic Product Structure, Variant Specification and Variant
Structure.
That why the DATI file shall not be imported into Palma.
▌ Impacted objects (Option Set, Generic Product Structure, Variant Specification, Variant Structure, Baselines
and Business Documents containing the DATI files at Released state) shall be Revised following the Change
Process (Problem Report, PR Actions …) before applying the modifications
 Refer to dedicated document (C61583705-108-CNCMSUM_Change-XX_R.pptx) for more details about the Change Process

Process – Update for a Product Line or a Project
▌ It is possible to track changes on any objects (Option Set, Variant Specification etc…) by using the
“Subscribe” action from the details page of the object:
Example:


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Palma Software User Manual

Options & Variants

THALES GROUP INTERNAL

Written by L.SIEGFRIED (PLM Process Expert) 23-12-2019

THALES GROUP INTERNAL

1 Basics of Product Line Engineering (PLE)

2 Palma capabilities for Options & Variants

3 Manage product line in PALMA

6 Manage product line in PALMA with Pure::Variant

THALES GROUP INTERNAL

A feature is a distinctive characteristic of a system of interest :

Language air- conditioning

THALES GROUP INTERNAL

▌ What is a Product Line?

THALES GROUP INTERNAL

▌ Implement a Product-Line strategy enables:

design phases (catalogue approach, information,…).

THALES GROUP INTERNAL

THALES GROUP INTERNAL

Thales Global Services / template : 87211168-GRP-EN-003

THALES GROUP INTERNAL

▌ Management of product variability using a "Feature Model":

▌ What does “Feature Model” means:

THALES GROUP INTERNAL

1 Basics of Product Line Engineering (PLE)

2 Palma capabilities for Options & Variants

3 Manage product line in PALMA

6 Manage product line in PALMA with Pure::Variant

THALES GROUP INTERNAL

THALES GROUP INTERNAL

Automate the creation of items and/or breakdowns structures

THALES GROUP INTERNAL

THALES GROUP INTERNAL

THALES GROUP INTERNAL

a configuration process and are used to generate a variant part structure.

THALES GROUP INTERNAL

Product Option As-Designed Option Manager + Option Manager +

Create Option Set YES YES NO YES YES

THALES GROUP INTERNAL

1 Basics of Product Line Engineering (PLE)

2 Palma capabilities for Options & Variants

3 Manage product line in PALMA

6 Manage product line in PALMA with Pure::Variant

THALES GROUP INTERNAL

Ba se line Pro duc t VARIANT SPEC:

• Create in Palma the generic

Required: when an option is set to Required = Yes, that mean it

Single Choice Selection: if yes then only one choice can be

THALES GROUP INTERNAL

2- Click on “Palma Design Choice” tab

3- Click on “New Choice”

1- On the left pane of the “Option

THALES GROUP INTERNAL

THALES GROUP INTERNAL

THALES GROUP INTERNAL

THALES GROUP INTERNAL

THALES GROUP INTERNAL

1- Do a right click on the source Choice

2- Click on the option

2- Display the “Exclude

3- Select “Equipped” = “No” and

C63327488-108_OPTVSUM_Options_And_Variants_001 – Dec. 2019

THALES GROUP INTERNAL