MEIE3284

Industrial Information System

Lecture 3
The Relational Database Model
Dr. Ahmed Shaban
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
College of Engineering
Sultan Qaboos University
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 Today’s Lecture
• Revision & Tutorials
• What is meant by a database?
• Database development process.
• Database models and their history.
• Types of database management systems.
• Elements of the relational database structure.
• SQL vs NoSQL database systems.

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 Tutorial
Put True or False
1. A bill of materials identifies the steps needed to
produce a product.
2. Product routing is the list of materials and
quantities needed to produce a product.
3. Under a make-to-stock strategy, the production
process is triggered by a customer order.
4. Under a make-to-stock strategy, the production
process is triggered by a need to increase inventory.
5. In the production process, a production order is
used to track the progress of the order.

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 Tutorial
Put True or False
6. A bill of materials identifies the steps needed to
produce a product.
7. In the production process, a planned order is used
to track the progress of the order.
8. In the production process, a planned order is used
to request that the company produce a specified
quantity of goods.
9. When using an ES, paper documents are a critical
means of capturing and storing data generated
during process steps.
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 Tutorial
Put True or False
10. The planned order is created by production department.
11. The planned order is created by the warehouse department.
12. The production order is created by the warehouse
department.
13. Planned order provides written authorization to the shop
floor to produce the stated quantity of products.
14. Examples of process manufacturing are furniture and
computers.
15. Examples of discrete manufacturing are oil and gas.
16. MRP was introduced to fix the capacity problem of MRP II.

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 Tutorial
MRP Problem
Assume that you are the manager of a shop that
assembles industrial robots. You have just received an
order of 50 units, which are to be shipped at the start of
week 8. Information concerning the robot structure, lead
times, and on-hand inventory is given in the following
table.

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 Lead Time On-Hand
Item Components
(Weeks) Inventory
Robot 2 15 A(2), B(1), C(4)
A 1 10 E(3), D(1)
B 2 5 D(2), F(3)
C 2 65 E(2), D(2)
D 1 20 -
E 1 10 -
F 2 30 -

1. Develop a product structure tree, a time-phased product

structure, and a master production schedule for this
industrial robot.
2. Develop the net material requirements plan for
component A using lot-for-lot ordering policy.
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Master Production Schedule
Master Beg.
Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Schedule for Inv.
Industrial
Quantity 50
Robot

Product Structure Tree

Time-Phased Product Structure

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Net Material Requirements Plan for Component A

Item: Ind. Robot Beg.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
LT = 2 wks. Inv.
Gross requirements 50
Scheduled receipts
Projected on hand 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
Net requirements 35
Planned order receipt 35
Planned order release 35

Beg.
Item: A(2) LT = 1 wk. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Inv.
Gross requirements 70
Scheduled receipts
Projected on hand 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Net requirements 60
Planned order receipt 60
Planned order release 60
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Net Material Requirements Plan for Components C and E

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The Relational Database Model

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 What is a Database?
• A database can be thought of as a computerized filing
cabinet. This filing cabinet electronically stores data
defined and “filed” by users within the organization
that maintains the database.

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 What is a Database?
● A database is information that is set up for easy
access, management and updating.
● Computer databases typically store aggregations of
data records or files that contain information, such as
sales transactions, customer data, financials and
product information.
● Databases are used for storing, maintaining and
accessing any sort of data.
● Databases can be thought of as an organized
collection of information.

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Database Development Process

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 Database Development Process
• It is important that the database design considers the
following aspects:
₋ A specific data item can be reached easily.
₋ The database can respond to the user’s different questions
easily.
₋ The database occupies minimum storage space.
₋ The database contains no unnecessary data.
₋ Data can be added and updated easily without causing
mistakes.

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 What is a Database Model?

● A database model shows the logical structure of a

database, including the relationships and constraints
that determine how data can be stored and
accessed.
● Most data models can be represented by an
accompanying database diagram.

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 Evolution of Database Models
● Databases were first created in the 1960s.
● Hierarchical databases were among the early models.
They have tree schemas with a root directory of
records linked to several subdirectories.

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Evolution of Database Models
Hierarchical Database Model Example

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 Evolution of Database Models
• Network database models
were also among the first
models.
• The network model builds on
the hierarchical model by
allowing many-to-many
relationships between linked
records, implying multiple
parent records.

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Evolution of Database Models
Network Database Model Examples

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 Evolution of Database Models
● Relational databases were developed in the 1970s.
● Relational databases are comprised of tables.
● Information is placed into predefined categories in
those tables.
● Each table has columns with at least one data
category, and rows that have a certain data instance
for the categories which are defined in the columns.

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Evolution of Database Models
Relational Database Model Example

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 Evolution of Database Models
Object-Oriented Database Model
● Object-oriented databases came in the 1980s.
Data is organized and stored as
objects, which are self-
contained units that contain
both data and the operations
or methods that can be
performed on that data. This
allows for the efficient
representation and
management of complex data
structures and relationships.

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What is Database Management System?
● The database system has both hardware and software
components.
● Hardware is the physical storage medium for the data
(hard disk, tape, etc.).
● The software is the medium through which the user
accesses the physically stored data. This software is
called the database management system (DBMS).
● The DBMS allows the user to store, retrieve, and
update data without having particular knowledge
about the physical location of data or how related
data are stored.
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Types of Database Management Systems

● The most widely used DBMSs are relational

(RDBMSs).
● There are three classes of database systems with
different levels of complexity and sophistication:
o Enterprise databases,
o Workstation databases,
o Personal databases.

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 Enterprise Database
● A large database that runs on one or more servers and
may have client users spread throughout many
locations.
● It must be capable of handling a large quantity of
transactions and the execution must be in real-time.
● For example, a transaction involving an ATM debit
should be recorded in the time frame of seconds. It
uses sophisticated security measures and can allow
different levels of access by client users.
● Oracle (Oracle Corporation) and DB2 (IBM) are
typically used for these applications.
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 Workgroup Database
● Workgroup database typically runs on one server and
distributes information to several client machines
running on the same local area network.
● The level of transaction processing is much lower than
that of an enterprise database, but the DBMS must be
capable of handling multiple clients who are
independently generating transactions that change the
contents of one or more databases running
concurrently on the DBMS.
● Microsoft’s SQL Server, which supports client-server
architecture, is a popular choice for workgroup
applications.
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 Personal Database
● Personal database runs on a single personal computer.
● It has a lower transaction handling rate and is not
designed with sophisticated administrative tools for
setting levels of security.
● The LibreBase DBMS is a good example of a personal
database.
● LibreBase is used in exercises throughout this course
because it is suitable for demonstrating all the concepts
presented and it is easily available to PC users.

LibreBase MS Access

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 LibreBase
● However, LibreBase is not just standalone DBMS, it
can also be used as an interface to connect to both
workgroup and enterprise databases seamlessly.
● This connection is possible through using the
structured query language (SQL).
● LibreBase provides an implementation of the
relational database management system (RDMS).

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 What is a Relational Database?
● A relational database can be seen as a set of tables
linked together.

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 Tables in Relational Database

● The actual storage of data in a database is fairly

complex from a physical point of view.
● However, the relational model allows the user to
view the data in a simple intuitive tabular structure,
called a table.
● This structure allows the user to model the logic of
the data manipulation such that it is independent
of the physical storage of the data.

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 Tables in Relational Database
● Tables are constructed of rows and columns, and we
usually use these terms in referring to a table
structure.
● A row represents a single entity, or instance of the
entity set.
● A row is sometimes referred to as a record, which is a
term carried over from a period when computer
information was maintained in a file structure.
● A column represents the attributes of the entity set.
Sometimes columns are referred to as fields.

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Tables in Relational Database

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Tables in Relational Database

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 Field Types Requirement
● To construct a table in a relational database, you
need to define your attributes or fields by selecting
a representative title and a suitable data type.
● The following slides provide information about the
different data types in RDMS and LibreBase.
● When values are entered into the table, the DBMS
will not allow the user to enter data into an
attribute field that does not conform to the data
type of that attribute.

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 Data Types in RDMS Tables
● Relational database management systems support a
variety of data types.
● Typical data types are:
‒ Numeric
‒ Character or text
‒ Date/Time
‒ Logical
‒ Binary

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 Numeric Data Types
• This is used for dealing with numerical data. They
include the following types:
‒ Small integer of 5 digits (SMALLINT)
‒ Integer of 10 digits (INTEGER)
‒ Tiny integer (TINYINT)
‒ Bigint (BIGINT)
‒ Decimal (DECIMAL)
‒ Float (FLOAT)
‒ Real (REAL)
‒ Double (DOUBLE)
‒ Number (NUMERIC)
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 Character or Text Data
● Character or text data are represented as an
alphanumeric string.
● The length of the string is indicated in parentheses
following the type designation, as in CHAR(10).
● Alternatively, VARCHAR type can be used in case the
text data size can vary from one entity to another.
● Memo (LONGVARCHAR) can be used for long text
with variable size.
● VARCHAR_IGNORECASE is used whenever the
capital/small letters are dealt with as the same.

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 Date and Time Data Types

● Date and time data types are used to store time

information in records.
● We can choose from the following types depending
on the application:
‒ Date (DATE)
‒ Time (TIME)
‒ Date/Time (TIMESTAMP)

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 Logical Data

• BOOLEAN data type is used for binary data

types such as True/False, Yes/No.

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 Binary Data

• For any sort of data that is not of the previous

categories such as images, the following data types
are used:
‒ BINARY
‒ LONGVARBINARY

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 Key Attributes
• To maintain the integrity of a database, certain
attributes of each table are designated as key
attributes.
• In any table, a key attribute is labeled in LibreBase as
a “Primary Key”
• Any table can have only one primary key.
• When a table is created, it is necessary to declare the
attribute(s) that will be the primary key.
• When data are retrieved from the table, the primary
key can be used to ensure that the retrieved data set
is unique.
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 Primary Key Example
For example, in the VENDOR Table, the VENDOR_ID is unique. The
VENDOR_ID attribute, assigned to the vendor by the database user,
will always refer to one and only one vendor. It may occur that two
vendors will have the same names, causing confusion when the
computer must differentiate between them. No such confusion exists
when a unique number or alphanumeric code is assigned to each
vendor in order to differentiate between them. The primary key for
the PURCHASE_ORDER table is the PO_NUMBER. Only one purchase
order number is assigned to a purchase order, and that number is
unique to that purchase order.

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 Primary Key Entry
● When a column is designated as a key attribute, any
row of the table must have an entry in that column to
ensure the integrity of the table and its references.
● This means that no “null” values are allowed. A null
value refers to the absence of a value; it does not refer
to a value of zero. For example, the RELEASE_DATE of
PO_NUMBER 2596 in the PURCHASE_ORDER table is a
null value.

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 Related Tables
● Related tables are linked to each other by having
attribute fields in common. For example, the table
PURCHASE_ORDER is related to the table PO_DETAIL by
the attribute PO_NUMBER.

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 Foreign Key
● Unlike a primary key, a foreign key may have duplicate
instances.
● However, the foreign key in one table must be related
to a primary key in another table.
● Otherwise, the reference between tables could not
be guaranteed to be unique.

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 Referential Integrity

● Referential integrity of tables in databases is

achieved by linking primary keys with foreign keys.
● This link is maintained and enforced by the DBMS to
ensure the consistency of the entered data.

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 SQL vs. NoSQL Database Systems
● In today’s database technology, there is a
classification of database management systems
depending on whether the structured query language
(SQL) is used or not.
● Relational databases and SQL come hand-in-hand,
while in modern cloud databases, non-relational
databases that do not use SQL are widely used,
especially in internet applications.
● Watch the following video to know the difference
between SQL and NoSQL database systems.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh14LlMHyds&list=PPSV
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 References
• Thomas Boucher and Ali Yalçin, “Design of
Industrial Information Systems.” Elsevier,
2006. ISBN: 978-0-12-370492-4. (Chapter 2)

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