Rapid developments in information technology have allowed true integration in accordance with CIM principles. The integration of the design and manufacturing functions is well under way. However, the quality function is often forgotten in this approach although it is all the more justified according to the quality assurance rules. This project on the control loop architecture of a flexible manufacturing cell deals with both quality and CIM themes. It essentially consists of defining corrective feedback inside the cell and its environment. To achieve this, the cell must possess an information system which ensures the coherence of its information and of process corrections. This field of study includes control functions and the operating system. The data exchanges which take place inside and with the environment are all the more complicated. After the definition of the control loop architecture, we show the need for an information system. The control loop architecture in the information system should be studied at three levels: the physical cell system, the cell tasks and their coordination. For these three aspects, we present entity-relationship models. By means of modelling information and its processing, the MERISE method allows us to propose a control loop architecture which is coherent and open as regards cell manufacturing capabilities. The information system not only reports quality but it also contributes to cell control in an autonomous way and it diminishes the work of the decision-making system. We limit this paper to a survey of the information system without any communication and data processing models.

Control loop architecture and information system of a flexible manufacturing cell

Modelbases and product models are essential for integrated data processing in a company. Design data, process planning data and administrative data have to be put together to give a pool of information for one particular product. Therefore the existing CAD/CAM-systems have to be increased concerning their capabilities of storing and retrieving product information and their functional equipment and efficiency. The paper describes the concepts and first results of a methodbase system and the included product models.

P. Armbrust

Papers

Methodbases and product models as bases for integrated design and manufacturing