New Looks on CIMS Modelling

Computerised Production Management Systems (PMS) bear the form of Decision - Support Systems (DSS). For the DSS-design, modelling is essential. It has two major roles: (a) It must help the understanding (and the structuring) of the PMS - problems, and (b) It must facilitate the DSS-design tasks. The INTEGRATION aspect in the framework of Computer Integrated Manufacturing Systems (CIMS) involves a much higher degree of complexity (Hordeski 1988, Browne et al 1988). It calls for new approaches to modelling problems. In this paper, we present the basis of an INtegrated COnceptual REference MOdel (INCOREMO). It is: (a) integrated, because it must cover all types of system structures and activities; (b) conceptual, because it must be generic to cover large classes of problems; (c) reference, because it must show typical ways to establish models of specific applications; (d) model, in the sense of organising and structuring the reality.