wilamowski-b-m-irwin-j-d-industrial-communication-systems-2011

65-8 Industrial Communication Systems
FIGURE 65.2
An example of service mashup.
i.e., Web applications that combine information from several sources and provided through simple Web
APIs. They aid lifecycle management of the self-organized, dynamic Service Space. Mashup helps to
form the Virtual Organization. We differentiate between Service mashup (data level) and User mashup
(meta-data level) [Dillon 07a,07b] and will utilize both in our approach to Web services composition.
Note in this way, mashups will replace the slow and lumbering approach to workflow management in
traditional Web service approaches. An example of service mashup is shown in Figure 65.2.
65.3.3 Customizations of Product and Materials Flow Monitoring
In order to achieve these twin aims, we employ RFID Technology. This is chosen over client site workstations
and barcode readers as it can be flexibly deployed at widely varying sites or new sites and is less
dependent on an exact orientation of presentation of the barcode to the reader and can be employed in
the presence of employees with relatively poor computer literacy. The use of RFID technology essentially
requires the user of RFID devices and antennas. The RFID devices will be embedded in a particular
customized product that is being produced and it could carry information and rules on the next step in
the process that need to be carried out with the product itself. Such an approach has already been trialed
with the automotive industry and in the production of electronic boards by IBM. In addition, it can be
used to monitor the movement, flow, storage, and consumption of materials.
Also RFID technology will allow the determination of the precise quantities of certain materials and
components at a given site effectively. This last factor is of considerable importance as the assembly of
the products will frequently require the movement of specialized staff to the remote site to help carryout
certain tasks and it would be extremely costly if they were sitting around doing nothing because certain
component necessary for some stage of the work are not present at the site. In addition, to the actual
gathering of data and information, which can be done by RFID technology, it is necessary to utilize this
information to build a picture of the state of the overall state of production. Here we intend to explore
two approaches creating a virtual representation of an RFID tag within the framework of a Web service.
Such an approach has been attempted recently by [Chen 07] for the simpler problem of warehouse inventory
management.
© 2011 by Taylor and Francis Group, LLC