The development of an integration modelling method for manufacturing cell control systems

This paper addresses the need to develop an integration modelling method for the Cell level. The Cell level, which interfaces between the strategic factory level and the manufacturing equipment level in a CIM hierarchical model, is complex. To tackle complicated systems, especially considering a potential large amount of investment in resources, it is necessary to fully understand what needs to be done and how this could be achieved by the intended systems. To this end, a good modelling methodology is required as a way of specifying and describing the systems under consideration. However, most existing modelling methods are not specifically designed for modelling the Cell level but rather, principally, to address other levels of the CIM hierarchy, although requirements of Cell level modelling are covered in fragments of these methods. An integration method is therefore suggested as an appropriate means to deal with modelling problems at the Cell level. This paper will discuss the problems associated with, and the development of, an integration method in the modelling of cell control systems.