A Layered Workflow Model Enhanced with Process Algebra Verification for Industrial Processes

This paper addresses the problem of modeling and verification of complex industrial production lines that include physical machines. The paper proposes a methodology for building business models, organized on layers of increasing complexity, from production line elementary machines and sensors to complex business workflows. For workflow verification purposes, the model is represented in Process Algebra (PA) formalism which allows for reasoning and checking the correctness ofthe business process model and early identification of any logical faults in the model design phase. The resulted model, validated using with the PA formalism can be translated, deployed and executed by any workflow execution engine. The proposed methodology was used for modeling and verifying a sausage processing line, developed in the context of the Food Trace [4] research project.