Objective The objective of this project was to design, develop and test the software modules required for the Production Activity Control (PAC) of small batch manufacturing. The main aims of COSIMA were to: -define a standard architecture for PAC in discrete parts manufacturing -demonstrate that the solution is suitable for different small batch manufacturing environments -develop design and integration tools to support engineers in analysing, designing and developing PAC systems. The objective of this project was to design, develop and test the software modules required for the production activity control (PAC) of small batch manufacturing. The PAC architecture that was specified and designed during the first half of the project can integrate the following components:5 basic building blocks to perform the activities demanded in PAC (monitoring, scheduling, dispatching, moving, producing);a manufacturing profile to collect the static and dynamic data describing the system layout and behaviour;a Petri-net simulator to model the reactions of the real system to the PAC commands;an application network, implementing procedural application sequencing and system wide data management (through a manufacturing data dictionary), to interconnect all the above components.In the second half of the project the architecture was validated through 3 pilot implementations:a flexible manufacturing system for robots and work cell standard components production;an assembly line for electronic boards production;a part production system for car components.The application network, a complete set of technical specifications, the final implementation guides and 2 books are the tools available to the partners for designing and implementing similar systems.The PAC architecture that was specified and designed during the first half of the project can integrate the following components: -five basic building blocks to perform the activities demanded in PAC (monitoring, scheduling, dispatching, moving, producing) -a manufacturing profile to collect the static and dynamic data describing the system layout and behaviour -a Petri-net simulator to model the reactions of the real system to the PAC commands -an application network, implementing procedural application sequencing and system-wide data-management (through a manufacturing data dictionary), to interconnect all the above components. In the second half of the project the architecture was validated through three pilot implementations: -a flexible manufacturing system for robots and work-cell standard components production in the COMAU Grugliasco (I) plant. -an assembly line for electronic boards production in the DEC Clonmel (IRL) plant. -a part production system for car components in the Renault Cleon (F) plant. The application network, a complete set of technical specifications, the final implementation guides and two books are the tools available to the partners for designing and implementing similar systems. Exploitation The project has produced several spin-offs: -the study of proprietary products such as COMAU's CIMtegrator software platform and DEC's CDD+ Data Dictionary has been influenced by the COSIMA architecture and by the application network manufacturing data dictionary -European companies such as Unilever, Volvo and Philips have demonstrated a tangible interest in COSIMA implementations -the analysis made by DEC and by the CIMRU of the University College of Galway of applying the COSIMA architecture in the Clonmel pilot implementation has been used to create a parallel PAC implementation (PACKETS: PAC Kernel in Objects) and a Petri-netsimulator that introduced the partners to object-oriented and Petri-net modelling and implementation techniques. Fields of science natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwareengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringcontrol systems Programme(s) FP1-ESPRIT 1 - European programme (EEC) for research and development in information technologies (ESPRIT), 1984-1988 Topic(s) Data not available Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme Data not available Coordinator Comau SpA Address Strada orbassano 20-22 10092 Beinasco Italy See on map EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (2) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Digital Equipment GmbH Germany EU contribution € 0,00 Address Freischützstraße 91 81927 München See on map Renault Automation France EU contribution € 0,00 Address 8-10 avenue émile zola 92109 Boulogne-billancourt See on map