Agent-based product-support logistics system using XML and RDF

The capability of the timely provision of maintenance services and service parts is critical to the competitiveness of industrial systems. To enhance the timely operations in a product-support logistics chain, business partners (equipment manufacturers, parts distributors, customers) may have to collaborate for the efficient exchange of relevant information. We propose the architecture of an agent-based product-support logistics system. Emphasis is placed on the problems of sharing and exchanging information through agent communication. We adopt the Resource Description Framework (RDF) schema for information modelling in product-support logistics domain. The eXtensible Markup Language (XML) serialization generates messages for agent communication. The use of XML and RDF enables software agents to understand the contents of messages correctly and consistently. We demonstrate the feasibility of our agent architecture using a scenario in logistical support processes. We believe that the approach can provide a promising way to the automation of business processes in product-support logistics through seamless communication among the partners.