Application of ISA95 data models in manufacturing execution systems for lean production

Abstract

Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) are service-oriented interfaces that join the world of business transactions with the world of production systems. Nowadays IT systems have to provide very detailed information that is related to an underlying production process and also to actual product. There are a few emerging business models that require accurate and timely production data. This document examines two approaches to database architecture that can be used in Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES). It focuses on the support of the LEAN business model. The main research goal is to support the flexible access to production data, but the efficiency of database is also very important factor. Authors compare the classical relational database model with the object-oriented one. Considered use cases include the Oracle DB and Oracle Objects applications for MES. Presented object oriented approach follows the ISA95 standard. The practical use cases are based on the production of electronic devices carried out by the company Continental Ingolstadt. Although object oriented databases are not well accepted by the industry due to their low efficiency, the authors show that in the case of LEAN production, the database system based object-oriented models can be far more convenient than a classical relational database. The main benefits are more flexible data model and highly adjustable MES that can follow changes in the underlying production system. By the case of LEAN manufacturing, authors show that the flexible object oriented database is more efficient solution comparing to the relational database. Moreover such an approach can help to avoid well known big data problems that are common in classical MES.