Framework for enhanced interoperability through ontological harmonization of enterprise models

Abstract

Today, enterprises have information technology that could fulfill their requirements in each operational phase and with external partners, e.g., suppliers. For instance, in industrial environment, many applications are available to support operating their Product Life Cycle stages. However, organizations typically acquire them aiming to solve focused needs, without an overall view of the global enterprise’s system integration. Even when enterprise models are interoperable, very often difficulties arise with respect to data semantics when information has to be exchanged, though common semantic models are not in place. Researchers have proposed methodologies and platforms to assist the integration of applications and data. However, implementing new technology in organizations is a complex task, and the advent of continuous technological evolution makes organizations unable to be constantly updated. Such dynamics has a recognized impact in costs and work environment that companies cannot afford, and most of such proposals do not go beyond the research phase. This chapter proposes a methodology to enhance enterprise’s interoperability, keeping the same organization’s technical and operational environment, improving its methods of work and the usability of the installed technology through ontological harmonization of the enterprise product models in use. The presented work was developed and has been applied in the scope of the Intelligent Manufacturing Systems (IMS) SMART-fm program (www.ims.org) and European ATHENA project (www.athena-ip.org), under real industrial environments.