# The 3D Product Model Research Evolution and Future Trends: A Systematic Literature Review
## 3 Results  
In reviewing the body of literature of the 3D product model research, the authors developed the following themes that the research focused on around the 3D product model. These themes and the corresponding number of applicable research papers that reference them are noted in Table 2.  
To provide additional visibility into how these research themes were developed, the authors have listed the research articles and conference proceedings that were used to determine these research themes. Given all these articles and conference proceedings are being referenced simultaneously in Table 3, the authors chose to list the references in alphabetical order by last name in the References section It is of note that the authors chose to assign one research theme per publication and thus selected the most prominent theme. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c} \hline \hline
**S. No** & **3D Product Model Research Themes** & **\# of Reference (s)** \\ \hline
1 & Product Design & 37 \\
2 & Design for Assembly & 21 \\
3 & Data Processing & 22 \\
4 & Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD\&T) & 34 \\
5 & Assembly Sequence Planning & 34 \\
6 & Virtual Assembly/Virtual Reality (VR) & 27 \\
7 & Assembly line/Station layout planning & 24 \\
8 & Interpolation between 2D and 3D Models & 10 \\
9 & Reverse Engineering/Scanning Technology & 7 \\
10 & Assembly Feasibility & 4 \\
11 & Web-Based Applications & 14 \\
12 & Virtual Training/Work Instructions (WI) & 13 \\
13 & Augmented Reality (AR) & 21 \\
14 & 3D Model Library & 13 \\
15 & Disassembly & 3 \\
16 & Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Twin & 8 \\ Total & & 292 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 2: Three-dimensional (3D) product model research themes and associated number of references. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c} \hline \hline
**S. No** & **3D Product Model Research Themes** & **Reference(s)** \\ \hline
1 & Product Design & [11,12,14,15,21,24,27,A1,42,46,65,67,72,76,81,84,100,102,106,114,134,139,172,176, \\
1 & Product Design & 195,196,212,215,216,212,232,243,244,253,270,274,275,277] \\
2 & Design for Assembly & [16,19,22,30,58,82,98,116,120,155,163,181,183,192,204,211,220,260,267,273,289] \\
3 & Data Processing & [96,295,111,113,149,151,173,175,185,207,217,233,-235,276,280,282,283,285,287] \\
4 & Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing & [172,950,69,74,77,91,105,122,143,154,156, \\
158,164,167,198,200,201,208,202,227,238,239,242,247,251,261,291,294,298] \\
5 & Assembly Sequence Planning & [32-39,57,59,-61,79,90,98,99,117,126,128,130,140,146,165,171,190,209,225,229,237, \\
240,245,246,299,297] \\
6 & Virtual Assembly/Virtual Reality & [18,43,45,53,759,39,160,110,119,123,125,133,152,197,214,222,224,231,250,254,258, \\
27,298,265,296,299] \\
7 & Assembly line/station layout planning & [10,25,40,44,47,78,80,83,86,87,92,135,147,153,169,182,194,202,228,236,252,256,257, \\
8 & Interpolation between 2D and 3D Models & [28,88,85,168,213,219,248,255,263,278] \\
9 & Reverse Engineering/Scanning Technology & [20,48,66,118,199,230,262] \\
10 & Assembly Feasibility & [13,129,144,218] \\
11 & Web-Based Applications & [52,63,64,68,131,132,148,160,161,191,205,241,266,269] \\
12 & Virtual Training/Work Instructions & [26,49,51,112,127,141,174,177,178,187,189,226,281] \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 3: Three-dimensional (3D) product model research themes and associated references [8-299]. While Table 3 provides the research corresponding to each 3D product model theme, it does not show a clear visual of the research evolution over time. The authors also developed how the 3D product model research evolved by decade, as shown in Figure 3.  
The themes over time and the amount of research in each decade can be combined to then find what the major themes were for each decade of research. Table 4 demonstrates the research in quantity of research articles by research them by decade over time.