Data Base Design in Manufacturing: The State-of-the-Art

Abstract

While observing the terminology accepted by the CIKP organization (CIRP-International Institution for Production Engineering Research), the paper defines some basic notions of data baLe elements and supplies a comparative survey of the defined notions as used in some data base systems (CODASYL. IMS, IDS, MARK IV, TOTAL). For three types of data base organization (hierarchical, network, and relational) the author explains the architecture of a data base system, while some existing data base systems are compared in a tabular arrangement. The functional analysis of a data base system is made with an example of the TOTAL system, showing its subsystems - Data Base Definition Language (DBDL) and Data Management Language (DML). In the activities covering the fields of Computer Aided Design, Computer Aided Manufacturing and Production Control various data base systems are used, whether developed along with the applications, or comercial ones. The survey of utilization of data base systems includes eight effective systems one of wich (Bjørke, 1977) refers to data bases developed for manufacturing cell operation with computer three-level hierarchical control (large computer - laboratory computer - control unit). Since large manufacturing organizations, which have their own research and development divisions, carry on activities in all the three domains mentioned above, it is necessary to integrate all software products by developing a uniform data base, or else by creating software interface for different levels. Finally, the paper gives some CIRP forecasting future trends in the development of data base systems.