Mobile database nodes for manufacturing information management: a STEP based approach

This paper describes research currently being carried out in the area of information management architectures for flexible manufacturing systems (FMS). This work originates from the idea that process control may be achieved by machines as in the standard approach but also by all the products carrying their own information. So, distribution of the information system onto each individual product requires tools and methods to manage and to provide access to product information for both automated systems and human operators. Automatic identification technologies using electronic data carriers can provide such functions and act as product information vectors. Our approach is based on the STEP technology to define computer-aided tools for data acquisition and management of product-related information implemented on mobile database nodes circulating in a CIM environment.