A method for the acquisition of users requirements in discrete manufacturing cell systems

摘要

An appropriate specification of user requirements is considered as an essential step leading to thesuccessful implementation of manufacturing cell control systems. It is predicted that the number ofDiscrete Cell Control (DCC) systems is likely to show a significant increase in the near future. Thisdemand calls for methods to establish a thorough understanding of user needs. These methods, ifapplied appropriately, could be used for the acquisition, synchronisation, analysis and specification ofuser requirements. This paper reports a method specifically developed to assist the acquisition of userrequirements on DCC systems. End-user companies are usually unwilling to invest capital and time atthe beginning of a project, therefore, to try to overcome this hurdle, a Short-Period Modelling Method(SPMM) has been created. The method bridges the gap between the existing formal modellingmethods and the practical needs of industry. The method is simple to learn and easy to use, but ittakes multiple views into account so that the resultant models provide a relatively complete picture ofthe system under consideration. It has been developed for use during the initial stages of DCCevaluation, as indicated by a research project using the combined expertise and experience of aconsortium of academic, vendor and industrial user interests.