Using ontologies for representing classifications of an information flow based matching framework for smart manufacturing

We propose a matching framework, which is based on a novel application of the theory of Information Flow and its components, to support the production system on the decision making process on which equipment should be used to conduct a specific production step. This decision making process is part of an application scenario, which is derived from the Industrie 4.0 concept that says that products, production equipment, and production IT systems are getting more and more interconnected to finally reach a certain level of self-organization and autonomy. One of the core components of the proposed IF matching framework is a structure that is called classification. We show within this paper that the traditional approaches of using and representing those classifications with the help of simple table structures cannot be used within our application scenario satisfactorily and discuss how ontologies can be developed and used instead.