Evolvable Assembly Systems: A Distributed Architecture for Intelligent Manufacturing. Issue 3 (2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chaplin, J.C.; Bakker, O.J.; de Silva, L.; Sanderson, D.; Kelly, E.; Logan, B.; Ratchev, S.M.
• Is Part Of: IFAC-PapersOnLine. Volume 48:Issue 3(2015)
• Page Start: 2065
• Page End: 2070
• Publication Date: 2015
• Subjects: Adaptive Systems -- Agents -- Architectures -- Autonomous Control -- Decentralized Systems -- Distributed Artificial Intelligence -- Flexible Automation -- Intelligent Manufacturing Systems -- Knowledge- Based Systems -- Programmable Logic Controllers; Automatic control -- Periodicals; 629.805
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ifacol.2015.06.393
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2405-8963

Abstract

Abstract: Modern manufacturing companies are under economic pressure to respond more rapidly to a changing production environment, including short product life cycles, individually customisable products, and the introduction of new disruptive manufacturing processes. This paper details a new manufacturing philosophy and software architecture for Evolvable Assembly Systems, based on the principles of decentralization, context-awareness and intelligent resources, that is implemented using intelligent agent technology and a data distribution service. We also detail the Smart Manufacturing and Reconfigurable Technology demonstrator - an instantiation of the Evolvable Assembly Systems architecture - that implements a proof-of-concept abstract custom pharmaceuticals production line.