An object-oriented rule-based framework for the specification of flexible manufacturing systems

Abstract

The design of flexible manufacturing systems (FMSs) requires an effective system specification method, which is flexible to cope with redesigns as a result of requirement changes. In order to facilitate the design of such systems, object-oriented methods are increasingly adopted. However, they only provide limited support to system integration and the explicit specification of operational policies. In this connection, an object-oriented rule-based specification framework is proposed to incorporate a rule model into an object-oriented specification, to analyze and design the global processes and operational policies of FMSs. The application of this framework is illustrated via the specification of a typical vehicle-based FMS.