Ontology-Based framework for enhanced interoperability in networked industrial environments

Abstract

Nowadays, the advent of networked production environments has conducted to increase the number of heterogeneous systems that a manufacturer has to manage. These needs have resulted in major semantic accuracy difficulties when exchanging and integrating information. A normalised representation of the semantics associated with the product and processes, has been identified by the research community as a key to solve the problem. This paper contributes describing a method to develop a harmonized taxonomy in adoption by the furniture industry, prepared using a framework to improve the interoperability of systems within the Product Life Cycle. The proposed platform is based in a standard-based meta-model description assisted by an on-line normalised ontology platform, using state of the art technology for Internet enabled services and data access. The paper reflects major research results from two international projects.