Towards a Reference Model for Configuration of Reconfigurable Manufacturing System (RMS)

Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems (RMSs) offer the ability to change organizations to fit changing contexts. Modularity, both physical and logical, is an essential feature of RMS. Not only because it allows a wide variety of use of the system, but also because it allows to determine the other characteristics of RMS. We propose in this article a new way of defining a configuration for RMS, based on modularity. The module-based view includes four aspects: physical, control, performance and simulation, taken at different levels: system, machines or component. The introduction of the virtual view of the module aim to align the proposition with the requirement of industry 4.0 (The RAMI 4.0 architecture). Simulation and performance concern the technical, ecological or even economical aspect of the system. The module-based view of the system allows a decomposition, a description and an accurate analysis of the system, that leads to a better knowledge of the system, its components and allows a better approach to the reconfiguration process: an industrial case study is presented for illustration. A reference data model emerged from module-based view of the system. The purpose of this reference model is to create a configuration database that can be used as input to a reconfiguration decision process.