Engineering process of integrated-distributed shop floor architecture based on interoperable field components

The engineering process dealing with the integrated - distributed architect ure of shop floor production systems is formalized and validated. This work is justified by the recurring needs of industrial system engineering proce sses and their reference models to allow the system structure change and ad apt as a dynamic organization. The engineering process is not focused on th e product definition ('the What' of the Enterprise) but on the definition o f the operational system ('the How') at the shop floor level, which support s product manufacturing. The modelling of the operational system is based o n the application of the reference models and leads to the building of a ph ysical shop floor architecture, which is composed of coordinated and cooper ating interoperable and reusable hardware / software field components ( dev ices). This coordination and cooperation is required to form a functionally integrated and physically distributed architecture. Such architecture prov ides an optimized performance through the integration of information (opera tional whole) and also more flexibility through the distribution of softwar e intelligence ( responsiveness in manufacturing). The reference models are formalized inside a framework of the concepts of architecture engineering by using extended entity/relationship formalism, and they are partially sup ported by a dedicated case tool that allows automation of the engineering p rocess. The validation phase of the engineering process consists of the app lication of the reference models in the design and implementation of the pa rticular integrated - distributed shop floor architecture at the CRAN labor atory platform ( level regulation loop). This work is expected to evolve to wards the engineering process based increasingly on the emerging trends of defining intelligent architectures that would provide more adaptability adv ocated by the IMS initiative.