Development of a unified data meta-model for CAD-CAPP-MRP-NC verification integration

This paper presents an architecture and a schema for the integration of heterogeneous manufacturing databases. Termed the Unified Data Meta Model (UDMM), this structure is based on common relational data modeling methods and was developed to support the integration of CAD, CAPP, NC tool path verification and MRP systems. The model was developed based upon an analysis of the existing manufacturing operations pf three major corporations and the data structures of popular CAD, CAPP, MRP and NC verification software tools. Key features of the UDMM include the fact that data instantiated for communication is not persistent and it represents the union of the intersection of the information represented by the local software tools. The specification of the UDMM, and the nature of the integration architecture is such that it allows for the extension of both attributes in the model and new entities as new manufacturing functional domains are added. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.