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A multi-agent knowledge model for SMEs mechatronic supply chains

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Abstract

The main concern of this research work is to analyse and model supply chains (SCs) in the particular context of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the field of mechatronic. The study is based on the analysis of the organisational features, the actors’ behaviour, and performance considerations. The development of the model relies on an iterative framework that progressively integrates different aspects into the model. This framework is the ArchMDE process, which is based on MDE (Model Driven Engineering). A major feature of this work lies in its contribution to two different areas of research. The first contribution of the work is to propose a generic metamodel for SCs. Based on a literature review, an incremental framework is proposed for the modelling of SCs in terms of concepts, structure and relationships. The application of the framework to the studied context is described and its result is a domain-metamodel for SCs. The second contribution of this work lies in the formalisation of the dynamic behaviour of the concepts in the metamodel. This formalisation is based on the multi-agent approach. An agentification of the metamodel is thus drawn, thanks to the natural links between multiagent theory and SC reality. This step leads to an agentified-domain-metamodel which also includes the monitoring of the SC and synchronisation protocols. By adding relationships and dynamic behavior aspects, we obtain a metamodel of the domain that can be implemented, with its static and dynamic aspects. To validate this model, an industrial case study is detailed and has been instantiated and encoded in JAVA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Savoie, SYMME-Polytech’Annecy, 12, chemin de Bellevue, BP 80439, 74940, Annecy-le-Vieux, France

    Jihene Tounsi & Georges Habchi

  2. University of Savoie, LISTIC-Polytech’Annecy, 12, chemin de Bellevue, BP 80439, 74940, Annecy-le-Vieux, France

    Julien Boissière

  3. CEA, LIST (Embedded Real-Time System Foundations Laboratory), Mail Box 94, 91191, Gif sur Yvette Cedex, France

    Selma Azaiez

Authors
  1. Jihene Tounsi
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  2. Georges Habchi
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  3. Julien Boissière
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  4. Selma Azaiez
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Correspondence to Jihene Tounsi.

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Tounsi, J., Habchi, G., Boissière, J. et al. A multi-agent knowledge model for SMEs mechatronic supply chains. J Intell Manuf 23, 2647–2665 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10845-011-0537-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10845-011-0537-1

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