A DATABASE APPROACH TOWARDS FLEXIBLE MANUFACTURING - A CONCEPTUAL-FRAMEWORK

A conceptual framework for flexible manufacturing called flexible auto mation architecture (FAA), in a computer integrated manufacturing (CIM ) environment is proposed. The framework is based on the three-level d atabase architecture for designing database systems. FAA partitions th e manufacturing environment into database analogous logical levels of product requirements (external view), logical shops (conceptual view) and machine shops (internal view). The flexibility in FAA is achieved not by the traditional structuring of machines on the shop floor, but rather through a series of logical processes in the logical shop level . Each logical process is a generic (abstracted) process catering to m ultiple product processes at the product requirements level, and manuf actured by a stable group of machines at the machine shop level. The f ramework is illustrated with a manufacturing case and a discussion of information system support in the form of expert systems.