Introduction

The right Enterprise Architecture can enable a manufacturer to improve operational efficiency and reduce risks while increasing customer satisfaction.

The right Enterprise Architecture can enable a manufacturer to improve operational efficiency and reduce risks while increasing customer satisfaction. Enterprise Architecture development uses principles, methods, and models for the design and realization of organizational structure, business processes, information systems, and technology. This Case Study illustrates the value of the ArchiMate^® 3.2 modeling language [1] for Enterprise Architecture development and implementation within ArchiMetal, a fictitious metal parts manufacturer. It primarily illustrates the Business and Application core layers of the ArchiMate language, along with its two extensions: Motivation and Implementation and Migration.

ArchiMetal uses standards-based Enterprise Architecture methods to drive organizational change. One of the Enterprise Architecture standards the company uses internally is the ArchiMate 3.2 Specification, a standard of The Open Group. The ArchiMate language is uniquely designed specifically for Enterprise Architecture. The language is also closely aligned with the TOGAF^® framework, a standard of The Open Group. The Core Concepts section of this standard [2] defines architecture in the context of the TOGAF standard. This section gives architecture two meanings, depending on the context in which it is used:

This advanced Case Study assumes a strong familiarity with the TOGAF standard, the ArchiMate modeling language, the ISA-95 standard for integrating manufacturing systems [3], and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) application functions. Readers desiring an introduction to any of these topics should consult Appendix A: Core Concepts and Standards.

In the Case Study, the improvement of ArchiMetal operations, using models of baseline and target architectures, is discussed. By enabling high-level architecture modeling, the ArchiMate language illuminates the coherence between organizations, processes, applications, and technology. ArchiMate models can be elaborated as necessary for analysis, communication, decision support, and implementation.

To demonstrate the value of the ArchiMate modeling language, the Case Study focuses on integrating and sharing customer data across customer-centric processes in order to optimize coordination, decision-making, and customer experience within ArchiMetal. In addition, it demonstrates how the ArchiMate language can be used with domain-specific standards such as ISA-95, which is used for integrating Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) that control manufacturing equipment and processes.

The fictitious manufacturing enterprise used for this study is a simplification of what would be expected in a real-life scenario. While reducing the complexity was required to keep the study simple and illustrative for the given goal, an effort has been made to keep the study as realistic as possible. The most important simplifications concern the organizational structure, and the focus of the study on the coordination between Sales and Distribution and Production, instead of the entirety of supply chain management. These limitations are elaborated in the Case Study. This document also identifies some opportunities for further work.

In summary, the Case Study describes the ArchiMetal baseline state, analyzes the challenges faced by the company, and presents a vision for addressing them. It then presents the target architectures necessary to realize the vision. Finally, it presents a manufacturing scenario using ISA-95 standard messages to process an urgent customer order, and a more detailed version of the target state with new customer services, the redesign of several business processes, and the rationalization of the application landscape.