Adaptive Interoperability of Information Systems – Biogas Sector Case

Objectives of the thesis

The thesis will be carried out in collaboration with the DISP laboratory, PRODEVAL and AVENTECH. Its aim is to propose a methodology for guaranteeing the interoperability of the stakeholders' information systems as the industrial environment evolves. This interoperability would enable PRODEVAL's ERP systems to be connected with, on the one hand, industrial IoT components and the JN (intra-organizational interoperability) and, on the other hand, AVENTECH's ERP and MES systems, as well as the supervision solution for products installed at customer sites (inter-organizational interoperability). Given the context of the new assembly line, this interoperability should be built up as the new production system and associated information systems are created. It will be developed, tested and validated as the information systems under development mature.

To meet these requirements, many obstacles must be overcome:

• How can we ensure the interoperability of an information system in the process of being created?
• How can we ensure complete interoperability of information systems (at organizational, semantic and technical levels), in a context of extended production involving several partners?
• How can we assess the effectiveness of interoperability as the new information system is developed, and as PRODEVAL's supply chain evolves?
• How can we ensure interoperability with the IoT infrastructure set up to supervise products installed on customer sites?

The main objectives of the thesis are :

• Develop a conceptual framework (models, methods, architectures) to ensure and integrate the three types of interoperability: organizational, semantic and technical.
• Define an incremental interoperability methodology enabling new needs to be integrated as information systems are created, while ensuring consistency with elements already deployed.
• Define the means to assess the quality or effectiveness of interoperability, to ensure its adaptability in a changing environment (future evolutions in supply chain configuration and deployed software technologies).

Ontology and Model Based System Engineering (MBSE) approaches will be considered to meet these objectives. Existing interoperability frameworks and standards (EIF, CIGREF...) will also be considered.