Category: Type 2 Architecture

Comments: CIMOSA [17] is an ESPRIT Project

CIMOSA is a well known CIM Open System Architecture developed by the AMICE Consortium, and the most important CIM initiative within the ESPRIT program. The term AMICE is a reversed acronym for 'European CIM Architecture'.

The aim of this project is to elaborate an open system architecture for CIM and to define a set of concepts and rules to facilitate the building of future CIM systems. An important aspect of the project is its direct involvement in standardization activities. The two main results of the project are the Modeling Framework, which is well known and the Integrating InfraStructure (see Fig. 4.8). The Modeling Framework supports all phases of the CIM system life-cycle from requirements definition, through design specification, implementation description and execution of the daily enterprise operation. The Integrating Infrastructure provides specific information technology services for the execution of the Particular Implementation Model, but what is more important, it provides for vendor independence and portability.

Figure 4.8 CIMOSA Integrating Infrastructure.

CIMOSA incorporates an event-driven, process-based modeling approach with the goal to cover essential enterprise aspects in one integrated model. The main aspects are the functional, behavioral, resource, information and organizational aspect. For each of the aspects, modeling constructs are available. This enables to model the aspects of business processes independent from each other. CIMOSA provides a formal language for the modeling, which is specified in BNF form. Furthermore, CIMOSA aims at the execution of business processes also, not only the modeling of those. The goal is to drive an information infrastructure with the processes modeled.

CIMOSA insists particularly that the released model of the CIMOSA architecture should be processable or executable and evolutive, e.g., it can be modified easily during the run time. CIMOSA also intends to provide a methodology to show how to use the reference architecture to get a particular architecture of the studied enterprise. These are known respectively as the CIMOSA Model Creation Processes, and as the CIMOSA System Life Cycle. The CIMOSA modeling framework has been adopted by CEN/CENELEC as the European pre-standard for enterprise modeling, where it is known as ENV 40003.

It is worth noting that several ESPRIT projects are currently carried out to evaluate and validate CIMOSA, notably the ESPRIT Project VOICE (Validation OSA in Industrial CIM Environments), the ESPRIT Project CIMPRES (CIM Model and Implementation Concept in Precision and Special Tooling Industry). Another ESPRIT Exploratory Action, 5605, is developing applications of CIM concepts, architectures and technology to Computer Integrated Agriculture based on CIMOSA.

[17] AMICE Consortium, Open System Architecture for CIM, Research Reports of ESPRIT Project 688, Volume 1, Springer Verlag, Berlin (1989).

[1] ESPRIT, Project 688, AMICE, OPen Systems Architecture for CIM, Springer Verlag, Berlin (1988)

[2] ESPRIT, Project 688, CIMOSA Reference Architecture Specification, ESPRIT Consortium AMICE, Brussels, Belgium (May 1989)

[3] ESPRIT Consortium AMICE, Open System Architecture, CIMOSA, AD 1.0, Architecture Description, ESPRIT Consortium AMICE, Brussels, Belgium (1991)

[4] Anonymous, AMICE: CIMOSA, ESPRIT Project 5288, Milestone M-2, AD 2.0, Volume 2, Architecture Description, Document R0443/1, Consortium AMICE, Brussels, Belgium, (August 24, 1992)

[5] Beeckman, Dirk, 'CIMOSA: Computer Integrated Manufacturing Open Systems Architecture', Int. J. Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 94 - 105 (March - April 1989)

[6] Jorysz, H.R. and Vernadat, F.B., 'CIMOSA Part 1: Total Enterprise Modeling and Function View,' Int. J. Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Vol. 3, Nos. 3 and 4, pp. 144-156 (1990)

[7] Jorysz, H.R. and Vernadat, F. B., 'CIMOSA Part 2: Information View,' Int. J. Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Vol. 3, Nos. 3 and 4, pp. 157-167 (1990)

[8] Klittich, M., 'CIMOSA Part 3: CIMOSA Integrating Infrastructure - The Operational Basis for Integrated Manufacturing Systems,' Int. J. Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Vol. 3, Nos. 3 and 4, pp. 168-180 (1990)