The Naval Postgraduate School has developed a number of small expert system prototypes for the Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) to automate some functions in inventory management. These expert systems were developed during the last several years to aid inventory managers at Navy Stock Points. Several thesis students have successfully developed three separate standalone functioning and employable systems which run on MS-DOS based machines, and which use different knowledge representation approaches and different programming languages. Since these prototypes have been built, new expert system shells have become available. Because of advances in technology and the drive toward integration today, integration of these prototypes is important to enhance man-machine interface, increase system performance, and facilitate maintenance tasks. This thesis addresses the generic requirements needed to convert, integrate, and maintain the rule bases of three standalone expert systems and combine them into one functioning integrated expert system. It then provides such a system in a VP-Expert shell and describes the specific details of the conversion effort. Improvements needed are also discussed.

Subjects: Military supplies.; Conversion; integration; maintenance; stock points; expert systems