Reality:Virtuality phenomena model in virtual prototyping

This paper studies the relationship between phenomena of real world in engineering design, and the phenomena of virtual environments as means of virtual prototyping activity. The research was focused on manufacturing industry and configurable products.The practical research problem springs from lack of understanding on benefits and value of virtual prototyping in industry. Although many benefits have been recognized in several pilot studies companies still demand clarification and evidence on this technology and methodology. This problem was derived as a scientific question: can engineering design theories and theories of virtuality contribute on explaining benefits and value of virtual prototyping and especially virtual environments. This question aims also to strengthen the bridge between design science and sciences of virtuality. Firstly the concepts of virtuality (virtual prototyping, virtual prototype, virtual environments, virtual reality, and engineering design) and their relationships were clarified. The created model succeeded in reasoning connection between concepts of engineering design and virtuality. The data of case studies can be mapped to the model in order to explain some benefits of virtual prototyping. Anyway, there seemed to be benefits and value propositions beyond virtual prototyping technology that are related to organizational structures and processes. In future, the model will be applied and further developed in empirical studies. It should be validated in wider industry and in longitudinal research