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36 SMT007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2019 INTEGRATED SYSTEMS ARCHITECTURE INTEGRATED SYSTEMS ARCHITECTURE tation of computer-integrated manufacturing to provide a common set of terms for its mem- bers. The ring surrounding the wheel repre- sents various influencing factors for the devel- opment of CIM such as expertise as a human factor, productivity as an economic factor, and computer technology as a technological factor. The wheel itself contains four functions, including engineering design, manufactur- ing planning, production control, and factory automation (Figure 1). If the individual func- tions are connected to each other and operate with a common database, an integrated system architecture is created and represented by the hub of the wheel. This development has resulted in the real- ization that CIM, apart from factory automa- tion and functions, is indirectly related to the operational performance, such as design (prod- uct/process), and production plan- ning and control. Additionally, CIM is linked to common business administra- tive tasks such as man- ufacturing management, strategic planning, finance, marketing, and human resource management. A further innovation was the addition of information resource management and communications between the different functions. Therefore, a common database alone is insufficient for achieving integration. The all-embracing na- ture of the CIM wheel reflects the idea promot- ed by CASA/SME that CIM must be viewed as a concept embracing the company as a whole. The Outer Ring The common business administrative tasks related to CIM are located on the outer ring of the wheel. They primarily form the company's connection to the outside world. Data process- ing applications can be found in the most di- verse areas. Most software systems applied in these areas were originally self-styled develop- ments, which are increasingly being replaced with standard commercial software packages. Currently, this software is installed primarily on mainframes. Overlaps of its functionality exist mainly with the software of the produc- tion planning and control. The Inner Ring Functions related to the operational per- formance of the company are located on the inner ring of the wheel. Data processing applications for the development and design area are CAD simulations; analysis programs, such as the finite element method (FEM); and drawing storage and management, such as group technology (GT). The types of data found in this area are diverse, includ- ing drawings, techni- cal specifications, and bills of materials (BOMs). Moreover, data in manufac- turing companies is often dis- orderly. There may be several types of part numbers and BOMs, or more than one GT or CAD system, each with its own computer internal represen- tation of geometric data. The applied software rarely runs on the same hardware, resulting in many different hardware systems. The second group of applications on the in- ner ring of the wheel is attributed to process planning, production planning, and control. It comprises tasks—such as routing genera- tion, resource planning, material requirements planning, capacity planning, order distribu- tion, supervision—and planning of quality as- surance—such as quality process and resource planning. In the United States, software in the Figure 1: The CIM wheel defined by CASA/SME.