Building a reference model for a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) platform in an Industry 4.0 context

To fill the reference model gaps in the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) platform software field, the definitions for platform software and reference model are put forward, and a reference model for MES platform conforming to Industrie 4.0 specification is proposed. The MES platform was characterized by the reference model from three dimensions of problem space, lifetime and infrastructure, in which, each dimension was represented by a view that consists of a number of viewpoints. In building the reference model, the viewpoints selection processes were discussed based on the current standards in each area corresponding to each dimension, and then a concept of reference model building block was defined. Furthermore, in order to explain how the reference model can be applied in use, some examples were performed for a representative application scenario in Industrie 4.0 and illustrating the reference model in combination with the application of specific technologies. A conclusion and expectation for the reference model research were summarized in the end of the paper.