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Abstract
Conceptual modelling is appropriate at representing and manipulating abstract constructs (eg, design concepts, notions and ideas) that are under-developed and belong to an ill-defined knowledge domain. It is also useful at representing an application domain as perceived by a user and can assist in the development of system requirements. In this research, conceptual modelling is applied to the domain of manufacturing flexibility, and it is proposed that the approach offers advantages over conventional, quantitative, model-based formulations for investigating and representing the concepts of that domain.
This paper examines the basic concepts of manufacturing flexibility, proposes a conceptual model based on this examination, and outlines an implementation or mapping of the conceptual model in a knowledge-based system. At a detailed level, the conceptual model is translated into a network of concept nodes, used to represent four types of flexibility, and the design features of machines and systems identified as significant contributors to, or determinants of, flexibility. Concept nodes are connected together with qualitative and quantitative relationships. It is thought that the model could have application in a number of domains of manufacturing, and that by configuring the model for a domain-specific application, users could identify particular design features of machines and manufacturing systems and develop flexibility requirements more formally.