Reference architecture for internet-based intelligent shop floors

Global competitiveness is causing manufacturing companies to change the way they do business. New ways of viewing markets and competition have led the movement from legacy information systems to Internet-based environments. Success in manufacturing depends on being able to respond quickly, accurately and consistently to the changing needs of the marketplace. The need to control and optimize processes and to vary the necessary parameters to obtain the best product on time and on specification has fostered a change from centralized or hierarchical to distributed manufacturing control systems. This paper proposes a reference architecture for Internet-based intelligent shop floors. Internet, Web technologies, and intelligent agents are the key technologies adopted in this approach. The reference architecture provides the framework for components of a complex control system to work together as a whole rather than as a disjoint set. It encompasses both information architecture and integration methodologies. The primary aspects of the reference architecture under consideration include: (1) statement of scope and purpose; (2) domain analysis; (3) architectural specification; and (4) methodology for architectural development and system design.