Abstract: A method for modeling and executing a production rule of a production phase in a discrete manufacturing scenario, whereby the production rule is associated to a process element and contains predefined production steps and predefined dependencies between the production steps, contains the steps of loading a production rule into a production order manager, parsing the production rule, and retrieving the predefined production steps and the predefined dependencies. Optionally user-defined parameters for the predefined production steps and the predefined dependencies are input. A state machine is created and contains the production steps labeled each as a predefined state, and further contains the dependencies labeled each as a predefined transition between two predefined states. The state machine is then forwarded to a process controller.

Abstract: A manufacturing executing system (MES) contains computing devices and software tools to control machines involved in a production process. The MES is configured to realize production requirements having at least one segment requirement. The MES further contains measures for a user to define whether a segment requirement is repeatable, and a database configured to store segment requirements. The database contains for each segment requirement: a dedicated area to store each segment requirement repeatability status; a dedicated area to store at least a current value of a parameter acquired during an execution of the segment requirement and representing the result of the execution of the segment requirement; and a dedicated area to store expected values of the parameter. Finally, the MES contains a coordinator operable to communicate with the database to access the segment requirement, and operable to determine whether the execution of a segment requirement has to be repeated.

Abstract: A method and a system provide, to production process personnel, an electronic work instruction for a production activity, compliant with an ISA-95 standard. The system contains at least one connection configured for exchanging at least one electronic work instruction between a production process based on the ISA-95 standard and an Electronic Work Instruction entity. The Electronic Work Instruction entity is configured for being compliant with the ISA-95 standard of the production process and capable of loading and storing at least one electronic work instruction. A device for accessing the electronic work instruction is also provided.

Abstract: A system for handling a dependency between two product segments of a process modeling a production system within a manufacturing execution system (MES) includes a network and a production modeler. The network has data processing units running a MES software for controlling and/or monitoring a production process operating a production components. The production modeler within the MES software defines the dependency between the two product segments, and allows modeling the dependency in a graphical environment as a link between the two product segments. The link is selected from a tool box having link types, each defining one of predetermined dependencies, such as: the two product segments run in parallel, one of the product segments starts after end of the other product segment, one of the product segments starts with a predetermined delay after the other product segment has been started, both two product segments use an identical equipment.

Abstract: A method and a system control a manufacturing process of a plant via a MES system. The MES system is provided with a catalogue of a tool model, the catalogue of the tool model contains tool entities and tool methods on the tool entities. The tool entities contain engineering-time tool entities and run-time tool entities and the tool methods contain engineering-time tool methods and run-time tool methods. At engineering time or at run time, via a tool manager, the tool model catalogue is exposed and information on the tool model data is stored in a database. At engineering time, the specific engineering-time tool entities are defined by invoking engineering-time tool methods. At run time the specific tool entities are instantiated into run-time tool objects and the manufacturing process is controlled relative to physical plant tools by invoking the run-time tool methods on the run-time tool objects.

Abstract: A method and a system for automatically generating a product production rule from a production request, include a reading module configured for reading production request data, a data filter module configured for selecting a set of data from the production request data, a treatment module configured for generating the product production rule, and a device for storing the product production rule.

Abstract: A manufacturing execution system contains a depicting device for depicting at least a part of a productive process to a hierarchically structured set of entities and an application programming interface for managing data in a data base and for inputting a tree into the application programming interface. The tree representing a hierarchical relationship between at least two entities of the hierarchically structured set of entities. A program device provides a method accessible by the application programming interface. The method is adapted to manipulate the hierarchically structured set of entities. A manipulating device is provided for manipulating the entities of the tree according to the method.

Abstract: A method and a system propagate a scaling mode in a production process controlled and executed by a manufacturing executing system (MES). The method includes the steps of providing a production request in terms of an initial quantity of a predetermined product to be produced, identifying the predetermined product by a predetermined production rule thereby dividing the production rule in a number of segment requirements that represent production actions, and defining within the segment requirements resources required to produce the required quantity. A rescaling attribute is defined and is aligned with each of the resources in a production request tree. An interface to the MES is used to update the quantity of the predetermined product to be produced and to recalculate in response to the update, the resources required to produce the updated quantity by applying a rescaling factor calculated from the initial quantity and the updated quantity.

Abstract: An effective method for managing product segments of product production rules within a manufacturing execution system adapted for providing a final product includes the following steps: a) each one of a plurality of sets of product segments are associated within one of a set of product production rules which are stored in a database under a reference standard product production rule (like a simple “manufacture of a car”); b) a command (e.g.

Abstract: A method for evaluating a production rule for usage as a test input process for a memory management analysis is carried out via a server process. The server process accesses at least a database of a manufacturing execution system. At least one user table is retrieved out of the database. A first number of records are retrieved for the user table. A single execution of the production rule is triggered by the server process. A second number of records are retrieved for the user table. The first number of records are compared to the second number of records and either, classifying the production rule as a suitable rule for the memory management analysis if the first and the second number of records are equal, or, classifying the production rule as an unsuitable rule for the memory management analysis if the first and the second number records are unequal.

Abstract: A method for selecting equipment resources in a manufacturing process creates an execution equipment list by retrieving out of a database execution equipment required for starting a process segment. A list of available sub-equipments of the execution equipment is retrieved out of the database. Within the list of sub-equipments a check is performed on the availability of a totality of required equipments for each of a totality of work segments of the process segment respectively. The execution equipment is selected for the starting of the process segment. Each of the required equipments for execution of each of the work segments is selected respectively, in the case where the required equipment for the work segment is available. An output list is created and contains information about assignments of each of the required equipments to each of the work segments respectively in the case where all of the required equipments are available.

Abstract: A method for modeling and executing a production rule of a production phase in a discrete manufacturing scenario, whereby the production rule is associated to a process element and contains predefined production steps and predefined dependencies between the production steps, contains the steps of loading a production rule into a production order manager, parsing the production rule, and retrieving the predefined production steps and the predefined dependencies. Optionally user-defined parameters for the predefined production steps and the predefined dependencies are input. A state machine is created and contains the production steps labeled each as a predefined state, and further contains the dependencies labeled each as a predefined transition between two predefined states. The state machine is then forwarded to a process controller.

Abstract: A system for handling a dependency between two product segments of a process modeling a production system within a manufacturing execution system (MES) includes a network and a production modeler. The network has data processing units running a MES software for controlling and/or monitoring a production process operating a production components. The production modeler within the MES software defines the dependency between the two product segments, and allows modeling the dependency in a graphical environment as a link between the two product segments. The link is selected from a tool box having link types, each defining one of predetermined dependencies, such as: the two product segments run in parallel, one of the product segments starts after end of the other product segment, one of the product segments starts with a predetermined delay after the other product segment has been started, both two product segments use an identical equipment.