About Model Version Evolutions

By default, Product Line Management supports three types of model versions: hardware, software, and service. All model versions have a revision level. The distinction between a revision and a derivation is how that model version is related to its parent.

You can revise or derive a model version at any state in the parent model version's lifecycle, and multiple unreleased revisions can exist at the same time. The current released model version revision represents the "best so far" model version definition. When a model version is revised or derived, all features are replicated.

This chart shows a simple example evolution tree. Your model version evolutions could be a long series of revisions with multiple derivation chains.

Each revision and derivation is a model version. The terms revision and derivation define the relationship between that model version and its parent, and the actions that can be taken on the model version.

1. Create the initial model version. The system automatically creates the corresponding model; if you create a model, you need to manually create the first model version. The first model version is managed as the main model version. The top-level model version is always on the main release branch of the model version evolution and is the first revision.
2. Revise the main model version. Each model version can have revisions, which are also a model version and can be further revised. In the chart, the red border indicates that the model version is frozen, that is, it is released. Green borders indicate active model versions.
3. Create a derived model version from the main model version. Any number of derivations can be made from a single model version. You can then add or remove features to or from the derived model version.
4. Create a derivation model version from the derived model version. You can create multiple derivations of a model version, and the chain can be as long as required.
5. Create a derivation from the revised model version.

The first model version is the main model version for the model and the evolution tree. Subsequent revisions show at the same level as the main model version, while derivations show indented beneath the model version they were derived from.

When a model version derivation is created, these items are replicated from the parent to the new derivation:

• Configuration features
• Effectivity matrix
• Logical features
• Test case
• Boolean compatibility rules
• Fixed resource rules
• Rule extensions
• Marketing preferences
• Images
• Reference documents
• Specifications
• GBOM
• Use cases

These items are NOT copied to the new derivation:

• Manufacturing plans
• Requirements
• Product configurations

When a model version revision is created, these items are replicated from the original model version to the revision:

• Variants
• Variant values
• Option groups
• Options

When a model version revision is created, these items are shared between the original model version and the revision:

• Expression rules
• Matrix rules

You can insert a model version between one model version and its revision. You typically would insert a model version in cases where the current nonfrozen model version cannot be used for planned units. This is because it already incorporates changes that require long cycle development or manufacturing. Inserting a new parent derivation allows you to incorporate changes to that model version for short-term unit production. Because this model version (Rev A.1 in the example) is a parent of the current nonfrozen model version (Rev B), Model Version Rev B inherits the changes from Model Version Rev A.1.

Because a model version can only have a single revision, Product Line Management creates a derived model version and inserts it between the two model versions. The original revision relationship is retained.

You can also insert a model version between a model version and a derived model version. In this case, a derived model version is inserted between the two model versions, but the original derived relationship is removed.