AN OBJECTIVE APPROACH FOR GENERATING THE FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATION OF MANUFACTURING PLANNING AND CONTROL-SYSTEMS

Outlines an objective model based approach for the functional specific ation of manufacturing planning and control (MPC) systems. It is based on the premise that there is factual information (company characteris tics and management concerns) which can be used to make recommendation s about suitable functionality of appropriate MPC systems. A generic M PC system architecture, applicable to medium-sized batch manufacturing companies, is used to organise the information within the model. The model describes the relationships between the inputs (objective compan y characteristics and subjective management concerns) and outputs (MPC functional activities). The functional activities have been defined a t a level of detail which represents significant choices in functional ity and are useful for the functional specification of MPC systems. Th e model provides reasoning which describes the relevance of the activi ties in individual cases. Uses field studies to validate and test the elements of the model (inputs, outputs and reasoning). Uses the model output to create an outline functional specification at each of the fi eld study sites. Concludes that the model can be used to obtain an obj ective view of necessary functionality in MPC systems in medium-sized batch manufacturing companies. The output from the model can be-used a s the basis for the development of a final, detailed functional specif ication. Use of the model results in time savings.