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4 Infrastructure
Pages 31-42

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From page 31...
... For the next generation of manufacturing, information infrastructure must have the high degree of connectivity and compatibility that already characterizes traditional infrastructure. Key elements include database and information management systems, data communications networks and associated services, and applications software; the division into manufacturing-specific and nonmanufacturing-specific categories is particularly fuzzy for infrastructure elements.
From page 32...
... . given met lum Time-critical message delivery in interconnected networks Protocols and services that support specific demands of object-oriented applications Services for human- and machine-based browsing and searching of information and resources Tools and techniques supporting supply-chain dynamics and associated planning Mechanisms and systems to support information session management continued
From page 33...
... ~ Collaboration technology Simplification of system designs, operation, and maintenance Self-healing systems Support for new programming paradigms Tools for component-based architecture life-cycle approaches General tools unconstrained by the limitations of specific programming languages Tools with aspects of knowledge-based collaboration software Rapid prototyping and other methodologies for faster development Techniques for encapsulating legacy systems and developing mediator support Analysis methodologies, metrics, and selection techniques Reference architectures that cut across manufacturing domains to support software reusability Data representations that depict both spatial and temporal aspects Better technology to support "hot swaps" of software Continuous availability of online services Fault-tolerant hardware and software Increased system security and trustworthiness Software, user interfaces, and hardware to support cooperative work The vision for manufacturing in 2010 assumes that this problem has been overcome; connecting applications has become as simple as connecting household appliances to the power grid one need only know how to run the application trike using a toaster) and use the interface (plug it in}.
From page 34...
... Research is needed to develop better architectures, including research to develop standard manufacturing control architectures {see "Equipment Controls" in Chapter 3} and generic functionality within the architectures, and to support general manufacturing information standards. Standards are necessary to support the passing of information in the various architectures and the interconnection of different systems within the manufacturing enterprise.
From page 35...
... Unfortunately, many manufacturing data types, especially geometric ones, are associative. Consequently, using current data manipulation languages for manufacturing data is counter-intuitive and difficult.
From page 36...
... One view is that autonomous agents, programmed by end users, could monitor production activities and respond to events with such actions as shutting down a machine, starting up a program, or sending a message to another agent.5 Because such agents automate control and interaction functions, they can eliminate activities otherwise performed by people and allow for simpler organizational structures, which in turn can simplify requirements for software development and maintenance. Another perspective refers to knowledge agents consisting of services and tools that could enable consistent, enterprise-wide management of models, names, objects, semantics, object relationships, object messaging, transactions, syntax translations, protocols, and business rules.6 The vision of manufacturing in 2010 might include an architecture for autonomous agents that represents each person, piece of equipment, and system in an enterprise by an agent.' The promise of autonomous agents underscores the need for research to develop better architectures for manufacturing systems involving distributed intelligence generally.
From page 37...
... (Altnougn there nave been distinct nItterences between local-area and widearea networks and their respective data, the demand for widespread concurrent engineering and general corporate infrastructure integration will require that many of these differences be resolved.} This proliferation of communication technologies not only prevents needed communication, but also raises maintenance costs. Research is needed to support a mix of protocols (e.g., transparent translation} and communication speeds over different media, or even {like the public telephone network)
From page 38...
... Several companies have invested many thousands of person-hours in developing and integrating factory information systems, a disproportionately large investment in comparison with their investment in other parts of the factory system. This imbalance is especially serious considering that these companies have often purchased "finished" software application systems from commercial sources, which when measured against the benefits perceived have proved to be less than satisfying.
From page 39...
... Genera! Tools for Software Engineering Automating complex, intelligent manufacturing systems requires both engineering life-cycle approaches and supporting tools.
From page 40...
... For example, there could be families of reference architectures for continuous processes and for discrete processes. Goals would include minimizing the number of reference architectures for which third-party suppliers must develop software or systems and increasing the ability to leverage previous expertise across projects.
From page 41...
... Research relating to technical tools for computer-supported cooperative work {including software, user interfaces, and supporting hardware) should be complemented by research examining relevant aspects of human behavior, education and training requirements, and so on, to ensure both that optimal tools are developed and that they can be used easily.
From page 42...
... Not only do these designs intentionally block communication with competitors' products, but they also block communication with adjacent machines, with older capital equipment and networks previously installed within a single plant. Communication is further confounded by network architectures that typically channel communication into hierarchies that mimic the power structure of the organization, inhibiting or complicating the exchange of simple messages between peers.


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