Intelligent Examination Monitoring and Maintenance for the Safety of Operation of Flexible Manufacturing Systems

Based on the system of electric power supply for flexible manufacturing systems (FMS), a study has been carried out on the intelligent safety examination, monitoring and maintenance of its running environment. On the basis of the specific feature of the power supply network of an FMS, real time monitoring system of the power supply network and the fault diagnostic expert system for the power equipment have been designed. This system can diagnose not only definite fault phenomena, but also fuzzy, uncertain fault phenomena as well. Fault diagnostic knowledge base for the power equipment has been founded hierarchy architecture model and the method of fault tree analysis. Feasibility of this system has been proved by computer simulation.

Simultaneous scheduling of machines and automated guided vehicles in flexible manufacturing systems using genetic algorithms

The problem of simultaneous scheduling of machines and vehicles in flexible manufacturing system (FMS) was addressed.A spreadsheet based genetic algorithm (GA) approach was presented to solve the problem.A domain independent general purpose GA was used,which was an add-in to the spreadsheet software.An adaptation of the propritary GA software was demonstrated to the problem of minimizing the total completion time or makespan for simultaneous scheduling of machines and vehicles in flexible manufacturing systems.Computational results are presented for a benchmark with 82 test problems,which have been constructed by other researchers.The achieved results are comparable to the previous approaches.The proposed approach can be also applied to other problems or objective functions without changing the GA routine or the spreadsheet model.

MULTI-AGENT APPROACH FOR DISTRIBUTED FLEXIBLE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS

This paper presents a multi agent model for the realization of the tasks dispatched in a distributed flexible manufacturing system.Agent behavior is described in terms of its capabilities and related environment.According to task execution forms,two kinds of task allocation methods are used and the proper communication mechanisms and negotiation mechanisms are involved to guarantee a high performance and high reliability for a DFMS.

Development of a Simulation-Based Intelligent Decision Support System for the Adaptive Real-Time Control of Flexible Manufacturing Systems

This paper describes a simulation-based intelligent decision support system (IDSS) for real time control of a flexible manufacturing system (FMS) with machine and tool flexibility. The manufacturing processes involved in FMS are complicated since each operation may be done by several machining centers. The system design approach is built around the theory of dynamic supervisory control based on a rule-based expert system. The paper considers flexibility in operation assignment and scheduling of multi-purpose machining centers which have different tools with their own efficiency. The architecture of the proposed controller consists of a simulator module coordinated with an IDSS via a real time event handler for implementing inter-process synchronization. The controller’s performance is validated by benchmark test problem.

Component-based Control Software Design for Flexible Manufacturing System

A new method that designs and implements the component-based distributed & hierarchical flexible manufacturing control software is described with a component concept in this paper. The proposed method takes aim at improving the flexibility and reliability of the control system. On the basis of describing the concepts of component-based software and the distributed object technology, the architecture of the component-based software of the control system is suggested with the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA). And then, we propose a design method for component-based distributed & hierarchical flexible manufacturing control system. Finally, to verify the software design method, a prototype flexible manufacturing control system software has been implemented in Orbix 2.3c, VC + + 6. 0 and has been tested in connection with the physical flexible manufacturing shop at the WuXi Professional Institute.

Deadlock prevention for flexible manufacturing system

Deadlock must be prevented via the shop controller during the flexible manufacturing system （FMS） performing. Various models have been tried for the analysis and design of shop controller. Petri net is suitable to describe the dynamic behavior of the discrete event system, such as concurrency, conflict and deadlock, however, the verification of the .system behavior needs structure analysis with complex theoretical proof method. Temporal logic model checking has important advantages over traditional theorem prover. It is flatly automatic and can produce possible counter-example which is particularly important in finding subtle error in complex transition systems. In this paper, a new method for the deadlock prevention based on Petri net and Temporal Logic model checking is presented. The specification in the Temporal Logic is expressed according to some result of structure analysis of the Petri net. The model checking is employed to execute the formal verification, which will conduct an exhaustive exploration of all possible behaviors. Finally, an example is presented to demonstrate how the method works.

A Beam Search-based Algorithm for Flexible Manufacturing System Scheduling

A new algorithm is proposed for the flexible manufacturing system (FMS) scheduling problem in this paper. The proposed algorithm is a heuristic based on filtered beam search. It considers the machines and automated guided vehicle (AGV) as the primary resources. It utilizes system constraints and related manufacturing and processing information to generate machines and AGV schedules. The generated schedules can be an entire scheduling horizon as well as various lengths of scheduling periods. The proposed algorithm is also compared with other well-known dispatching rules-based FMS scheduling. The results indicate that the beam search algorithm is a simple, valid and promising algorithm that deserves further research in FMS scheduling field.

Flexible Developing System for Modern Instrument Manufacturing

The modern instrument manufacturing has many features, such as high technologies, multiple varieties and small quantities. Aiming at those features, an instrumentation flexible developing system （IFDS） is presented. It constitutes a kind of opening, compatible, extensible and upgradeable flexible developing system, and it will offer a kind of technology equipment for the research and development of new modern instrument products. Its flexible mechanism is able to be suited for different and special requirements of many instrument systems, and its system integrated mechanism is able to adapt to common technological features of most instrument systems. It is IFDS that makes it easy to accomplish a quick system integration of instrument products. IFDS solves key technological problems related to modern instruments development, develops multiple systems for modern instrument development and accomplishes rapid development of series of new products.

A Critical Review of Machine Loading Problem in Flexible Manufacturing System

Production planning is the foremost task for manufacturing firms to deal with, especially adopting Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) as the manufacturing strategy for production seeking an optimal balance between productivity-flexibility requirements. Production planning in FMS provides a solution to problems regarding part type selection: machine grouping, production ratio, resource allocation and loading problem. These problems need to be solved optimally for maximum utilization of resources. Optimal solution to these problems has been a focus of attention in production and manufacturing, industrial and academic research since a number of decades. Evolution of new optimization techniques, software, technology, machines and computer languages provides the scope of a better optimal solution to the existing problems. Thus there remains a need of research to solve the problem with latest tools and techniques for higher optimal use of available resources. As an objective, the researchers need to reduce the computational time and cost, complexity of the problem, solution approach viz. general or customized, better user friendly communication with machine, higher freedom to select the desired objective(s) type(s) for optimal solution to the problem. As an approach to the solution to the problem, a researcher first needs to go for an exhaustive literature review, where the researcher needs to find the research gaps, compare and analyze the tools and techniques used, number of objectives considered for optimization and need, and scope of research for the research problem. The present study is a review paper analyzing the research gaps, approach and techniques used, scope of new optimization techniques or any other research, objectives considered and validation approaches for loading problems of production planning in FMS.

Research on Flexible Manufacturing System in Mechatronics Professional Comprehensive Training

According to the characteristics of flexible manufacturing systems, the article describes the equipment components and hardware architecture of flexible manufacturing systems in school. Taking welding assemble process as an example to elaborate production process automation, the paper put forward a flexible manufacaxring system combined with laboratory equipment and various grades, professional knowledge and teaching characteristics and differentiated teaching programs, the creation of the laboratory project was planned and implemented to specific engineering training programs, so that students has been expanded in the depth of expertise and breadth, experimental skills and innovation capacity has been improved, the teaching effect has also been significantly improved..

A Perspective on Smart Process Manufacturing Research Challenges forProcess Systems Engineers

The challenges posed by smart manufacturing for the process industries and for process systems engineering（PSE） researchers are discussed in this article. Much progress has been made in achieving plant- and site-wide optimization, hut benchmarking would give greater confidence. Technical challenges confrontingprocess systems engineers in developing enabling tools and techniques are discussed regarding flexibilityand uncertainty, responsiveness and agility, robustness and security, the prediction of mixture propertiesand function, and new modeling and mathematics paradigms. Exploiting intelligence from big data to driveagility will require tackling new challenges, such as how to ensure the consistency and confidentiality ofdata through long and complex supply chains. Modeling challenges also exist, and involve ensuring that allkey aspects are properly modeled, particularly where health, safety, and environmental concerns requireaccurate predictions of small but critical amounts at specific locations. Environmental concerns will requireus to keep a closer track on all molecular species so that they are optimally used to create sustainablesolutions. Disruptive business models may result, particularly from new personalized products, but that isdifficult to predict.

Study on Robot Sequencing Model in Flexible Manufacturing System Using Timed Petri Net

In a flexible manufacturing system, both the productivity and the flexibility of the manufacturing processes are highly influenced by robot sequencing. In this paper a petri net based approach for sequencing of industrial robot in a flexible manufacturing cell is presented and a decision structure for robot sequencing based on different criteria is described.

Flexible ERP:Enterprise Information System Under the Agile Manufacture Mode

Flexibility is the demand of management revolution,and also the milestone of management development.The flexible ERP system is the information system to orientate variety and handle uncertainties.The market with rapid change and agile manufacture need a flexible ERP system.The article elaborates the meanings and characteristics about flexibility,the flexibility of ERP and the flexible ERP system;it discussed the necessity,the possibility and the related condition of setting up the flexible ERP system;and puts forward the strategy and the approaches of setting up the flexible ERP system.

A Study on the Monitoring System for the FMS

Introduces a new monitoring method in FMS explicated in some detail by means of the MSF(Monitoring System of FMS)under development by the au- thors.In order to push FMS technology forword,enhance machining flexibility and the flexibility of human operaters and equipment in a FMS,the authors have made some breakthroughs in traditional ways of single item,unit monitoring and self-han- dling,and suggested the idea of integrated inspection and put the MSF into more practicability.The working status of FMS can be monitored on the CRT of a micro- computer of the MSF,system troubles will be shown with icons,by the flash of the system characteristic symbol or by alarming,and so on.This explores a new way for FMS inspection in a wholly integrated manner.

A Study on FMS's Real-time Fault Diagnosis Expert System

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A Control System of Material Handlingin FMS

The design of a control system for the material transport as used in gear-box flexible manufacturing system is presented in this paper. The scope of investigation covers material transport control, automatic vehicle, material exchange station, multi-storeyed warehouse system, NC and CNC machines and host computer etc. The paper describes the transport control system and its design, and briefly describes the communication among devices and warehouse access principles.

Generalized Reactive Manufacturing System

Generalized reactive manufacturing system named GRMS is introduced. GRMS is a human-centered system based on Multi-agent. Its management and control organization is made up of three types of agents named device agent,task agent and shop-floor agent. GRMS adopts a top down and bottom- up competition and cooperation strategy based on the dynamic sifter and funnel To constrain the behavior of agents, a reward and penaity policy is introduced into the system and the closed-loop adjustment of GRMS is realized through such policy.Agents for the same task should be cooperated with each other and agents for different tasks should compete for survival in the dynamic changing environment. A distributed-hierarchical architecture with three levels of master-slave relationships among agents are proposed.Self-propelled process planning is also discussed. In order to evaluate GRMS, a time-driven simulation system-GRMOSS is developed to check the physical consistency of GRMS.

Customization and Performance of Service-Oriented Manufacturing Information System: The Mediating Effect of Information System Flexibility

The purpose of this paper is to provide empirical evidence for the validity of the relationship between service-oriented manufacturing information system (SMIS) customization and performance from three aspects: data flexibility, process flexibility and system flexibility. We select some questionnaires from the third round of High-performance manufacturing (HPM) data to construct the construct, verify the reliability and validity of the construct, extract principal components, and analyze the mediating effect by using multiple chain linear regression and structural equation model. The results show that SMIS customization has a significant impact on its performance, and this effect works through its flexibility. More specifically, it is the multiple chain mediation effect composed of data flexibility, process flexibility and system flexibility. The importance of SMIS customization and flexibility to the organization is made clear, which helps practitioners understand the internal mechanism that affects SMIS performance, so as to use limited resources to improve system performance.

基于DAI的FMS智能检测监控系统研究

详细介绍了基于分布式人工智能（ＤＡＩ）技术的ＦＭＳ智能检测监控系统。采用多Ａｇｅｎｔ方法建立了ＦＭＳ检测监控系统的控制模型，确立每一Ａｇｅｎｔ核心是由基于知识的监控模块，诊断模块，融合、协调与控制模块构成，并研究了ＦＭＳ智能检测监控的融合、协调与控制策略和系统组建技术。

基于Internet的远程FMS故障诊断系统研究

柔性制造系统 (Flexible manufacturing system,FMS)是综合了机械、电子、管理、自动控制、计算机等先进技术的机电一体化制造系统。它组成的设备多、控制复杂 ,因而系统故障处理的难度高 ,能否实现快速的故障诊断和处理将影响 FMS的推广和应用。文中运用 Internet中基于Web的数据库技术探讨了如何对 FMS故障进行异地、多专家协同诊断的可行性 ,提出了基于Internet的远程