A Discussion on Current Issues for Semantic Interoperability in an Integrated Manufacturing System

Abstract

Digital manufacturing has been challenged by the manufacturing industry to rationalise different ways to connect and to exchange information and knowledge across the manufacturing systems. One of the main pillars of the Industry 4.0 concept is the horizontal and vertical integration with intelligent and self-adaptive systems. For this to be possible, the manufacturing industry applies an extensive range of software tools to aid its activities, such as SCADA, MES, ERP, 3D CAD, CAM, and so on. Individually, each one performs its function to support the manufacturing process. However, these software tools do not have an effective integration and interoperation, since they present different database structures, variables that have the same information with different names and data structures, and closed systems. Thus, it has been identified semantic interoperability issues (misinterpretations and mistakes) in view of the information heterogeneity from multiple perspectives and their relationships across the manufacturing process. In this context, this paper aims to present a discussion of interoperability issues across the manufacturing systems, as well as to introduce possible solutions according to the related works. a holistic approach is critical factors for long-term competitiveness solutions. The literature points out that the solution to this problem may be in the application of semantic technologies. These have the potential to provide solutions that are more comprehensive than the industrial approaches that have been applied through the formalization of information so that knowledge can be shared among multiple domains.