On modelling reusable components of change-capable manufacturing systems

Abstract

New modelling constructs are defined to enable human, machine, and IT resource systems to be described coherently and explicitly as ‘reusable’, ‘change-capable’ ‘components’ of manufacturing enterprises. These components are referred to as ‘dynamic producer units’ or DPUs. DPU characterization is designed to facilitate: graphical representation of resource systems; explicit specification of resource systems; and implementation description of resource systems that can be computer executed within simulation modelling environments. Also described is a methodological use of the DPU modelling constructs, which shows how they can complement the use of ISO enterprise modelling and proprietary (discrete event and continuous) simulation software. By so doing, the modelling of responsive production systems is enabled, where such systems comprise user defined configurations of process networks, resource systems, and time-dependent flows of units of work. This modelling method enables decomposition and semantically rich representation of complex systems composed from interoperating DPUs that can be computer exercised within specific organizational contexts. This paper introduces the DPU and illustrates its systematic application when designing responsive production systems.