Interoperability in Supply Chain Environment

Multiple enterprises are usually involved in supply chain network, while almost each enterprise has its own information systems and databases (enterprise legacy systems). There are large quantities of information and data intersecting or even repeating with each other, which calls for system integration. Meanwhile in the cooperative process of supply chain, the whole product line or product family is involved in the enterprise systems, including PDM, ERP, SCM, and CRM et al, which also need interaction and integration. Although many data integration methods and corresponding tools have been applied to the business cooperation in the environment of supply chain, however the interoperability of enterprise information systems is becoming more and more complex, because of the restriction from lots of factors, such as the complexity of enterprise application systems and the diversity of heterogeneous data sources, especially the new application demands of enterprises,. In this dissertation, the interoperability method of networked enterprise information systems in the environment of supply chain is studied, from the point of theoretical modeling and application. The main research contents are as follows: Chapter 1 states the research background of the dissertation, analyzes the domestic and overseas research status of supply chain integration, and proposed semantic interoperation is an effective solution to deal with the integration of enterprise information systems. Meanwhile it analyzes and summarizes the research status of correlated techniques involved in semantic interoperation. Finally, the organizational chart of the dissertation is provided, stating the foundation, content and significance of research. Chapter 2 analyzes the SoS (System-of-Systems) characteristic of networked enterprises in the environment of supply chain, proposed the SoNE (Systems-of-Networked Enterprises) paradigm. And then it analyzes the distinction between the interoperability and integration of enterprise information systems. Finally, it proposes the information system interoperability framework of supply chain te l-0 07 59 80 8, v er si on 1 2 D ec 2 01 2 enterprises based on the demand of information system interoperability in the environment of supply chain. Chapter 3 studies the developing method of product ontology. Based on some international standards related to enterprise system integration (such as IEC 62264, ISO 10303 and STEP-PDM et al.), the model-driven ontology developing method is adopted to integrate the business information and technology data related to product life cycle, including product design, make, deliver and et al, into a common shared product ontology. Chapter 4 discusses the building method of supply chain ontology. Adopting SCOR model as the basic concepts and framework for supply chain ontology, the SCOR supply chain ontology is built by Protégé seven-step method. Meanwhile the semantic description is made by OWL DL. Taking make-to-order of main machine bed as an example, an instance of SCOR supply chain ontology is given. Finally, a simple evaluation system is illustrated about SCOR supply chain ontology. Chapter 5 researches the ontology merging and semantic interoperability methods. The method combining ontology mapping based on WordNet with reasoning based on rules is adopted to realize the merging of product ontology and supply chain ontology, to achieve a product-centric supply chain ontology. The information systems interoperability of supply chain enterprises is realized by the mapping among ontology and the mapping between databases and ontology. Finally, an instance is put forward in this chapter. Chapter 6 takes the supply chain process of the double column CNC guideway&surface grinding machine in Machine Tool Company as an example to validate the method for information systems interoperability of supply chain enterprises. Meanwhile, according to interoperability principle, an information systems interoperability platform prototype of supply chain enterprises is developed, to provide as a feasible way for the information integration of supply chain enterprises. Chapter 7 makes a summary for the whole dissertation, and looks into the future direction about this research topic. te l-0 07 59 80 8, v er si on 1 2 D ec 2 01 2