Virtual-reality-based information requirements analysis tool for CIM system implementation: a case study in die-casting industry

A virtual-reality-based information requirement analysis tool (VR-RA tool) has been developed for an existing methodology, in order to capture and represent the enterprise information requirements of computer integrated manufacturing (CIM). The present paper describes the operational aspects of the existing methodology in VR-RA and introduces the developed VR-RA tool, which can be used by system analysts for determination of information requirements. A virtual manufacturing environment for matching the physical and the information model domains is utilized to delineate the information system requirements of CIM implementation. A set of rules and a knowledge base is appended to the virtual environment to remove any inconsistency that could arise between the material and the information flows during the requirement analysis. An experimental case study has been carried out in a firm in the die-casting industry in order to demonstrate the features and the potential industrial application of the VR-RA tool outlined in the current paper.