SWRL as a rule language for ontology-based models in power plant design

Abstract

Current standard models have improved interoperability in Product Lifecycle Management. But the increase of constrains surrounding information management in an industrial context, and notably for power plant design, like the increase of data, actors, systems and the need of automation and collaboration leads to an increasing use of ontology-based models. However, the design of power plants presents a specific issue, which is rules expression and validation. This need of rules is generated by safety, interoperability or collaboration constrains. The Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL) is an ontological language based on OWL-DL that allows in addition rules expression. This paper presents SWRL rules and their industrial applications but also limits of this language in PLM applications. It proposes in consequence other rules languages. © 2012 International Federation for Information Processing.