This report provides an overview of the existing models of global
manufacturing, describes the required modelling views and
associated methods and identifies tools, which can provide support
for this modelling activity.The model adopted for global
manufacturing is that of an extended enterprise sharing many of
the characteristics of a virtual enterprise. This extended
enterprise will have the following characteristics:
The extended enterprise is focused on satisfying the current
customer requirement so that it has a limited life expectancy, but
should be capable of being recreated to deal with similar customer
requirements. The activities of the extended
enterprise may be geographically distributed
Information technology is used as an enabling
technology. The members of the extended enterprise are
drawn in the main from a network of business units, each
contributing one or more competencies. One or more
units from beyond the network may complement the extended
enterprise. The common reference model for this extended
enterprise will utilise GERAM (Generalised Enterprise Reference
Architecture and Methodology) to provide an architectural
framework for the modelling carried out within the project. This
deliverable includes the descriptions (based on GERAM) of basic
frameworks for the management of the extended enterprise and for
the management of the product life cycle.
Please note that this is a public version of the original report. This means that enterprise or project specific information is extracted from the report.