Ontology-Based Production Control for Cross-Module Data Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern manufacturing facilities face challenges in coordinating individual units due to manufacturer-specific modules with proprietary data models, making it difficult to automate and optimize processes, especially in smart factories with autonomously driving vehicles, as existing solutions require significant additional design effort for data conversion and interface development.
Innovation Solution
A production control system utilizing ontology units to link proprietary data models, enabling semantic networking and bidirectional data flow between different units without additional hardware, using standardized protocols like RDF for data mapping and inference units to create a digital twin for harmonized data exchange.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If suitable interfaces are provided between individual units for data conversion, then data exchange between manufacturer-specific modules is enabled, but system complexity and design effort increase considerably
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an ontology-based intermediary layer that mediates between proprietary data models of different manufacturer-specific modules. This ontology layer provides standardized concepts and relationships that enable data exchange without requiring complex custom interfaces for each module pair, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms proprietary data models into a standardized ontology framework by changing the parameter representation format. Instead of maintaining multiple proprietary formats, all data is converted to ontology-based parameters, reducing interface complexity while preserving adaptability through the flexible ontology model.
2Manufacturing precision
If proprietary data models are used in manufacturer-specific modules, then module functionality and precision are maintained, but coordination between individual units becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates ontology-based copies or mappings of proprietary data models. Instead of directly integrating complex proprietary models, the system creates simplified ontology representations that capture essential functionality and relationships, enabling easy coordination while preserving the precision of original module functions through the mapping layer.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a comprehensive digital model is created using ontology units, then harmonized data exchange is achieved, but data mapping complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the comprehensive digital model into modular ontology units, each representing specific manufacturing concepts or relationships. This segmentation allows the complex ontology model to be built and maintained in manageable pieces, reducing the perceived complexity while maintaining comprehensive data mapping capabilities.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a manufacturing control system (1) with an arrangement of manufacturer-specific modules, comprising modules for controlling manufacturing units, modules for controlling logistics units, and/or modules for providing and/or processing product data (6). Proprietary data models of the manufacturer-specific modules are linked via at least one ontology unit.