Making IT fit: the design of integrated manufacturing systems

One of the important implications of information technology (IT) is that it has made possible widespread automation in manufacturing industry. However, the bulk of this has involved discrete automation of single plant items or process elements rather than the total production system. Although the capital cost of such total system automation is a significant factor in slowing the rate of change in this direction, there are also a number of problem issues related to the integration of machines, computers and human systems within manufacture and design. Arguably the types of issue involved are not fully understood and in many cases the technological change is demanding totally new approaches and responses to the design of production systems and the traditional manufacture/design connections.The paper explores some of the issues raised in advanced manufacturing systems, drawing on case study research into the adoption of flexible manufacturing systems as an example of computer-integrated manufacture. It comments on the experience of case study firms and presents some comments on the design problems facing those responsible for integrated manufacturing systems.     

Subject-orientation as design language for integration across organisational control layers

Recent research and development in production industry reveals a movement to cyber-physical production systems and Internet of things enabled manufacturing. In this context, ways in which enterprise processes are conceptualised and executed are changing. Decentralising production by applying interlinked cyber-physical production resources breaks up the traditional boundaries between different process abstraction layers. Heterogeneous smart devices and processes at all levels in the industrial control need to interact in such systems. In this paper, requirements from the field of Business Process Management towards the vertical integration of business and production processes are derived. With respect to the identified requirements the eligibility of the Subject-oriented Process Management (S-BPM) approach for vertical process integration is depicted. At the core, the paper investigates the applicability of S-BPM to achieve vertical process integration and reports lessons learnt from two industrial application scenarios. The first scenario aims to encode human properties to adapt workplaces to human needs. The second scenario aims towards supporting the execution and tracking of dynamic production processes.     

Evaluating flexible manufacturing systems using a combined multiple attribute decision making method

This paper presents a logical procedure to evaluate alternative flexible manufacturing systems for a given industrial application. The procedure is based on a combined multiple attribute decision making method using TOPSIS and AHP methods together. A ‘flexible manufacturing system suitability index’ is proposed that evaluates and ranks flexible manufacturing systems for the given industrial application. The methodology is illustrated by means of an example.     

Scalable reconfigurable equipment design principles

Scalability is one of six key characteristics found in reconfigurable manufacturing systems. Scalable systems satisfy changing capacity requirements efficiently through system reconfiguration, and in the flexible manufacturing literature this capability is called expansion flexibility. The development of modular scalable machine tools is a necessary precursor to achieving scalable systems. Unfortunately, there is little work describing the design of scalable machines. This paper establishes the need for scalable machines and a basis for evaluating and describing them. Applicable metrics are defined, and an architecture for scalable machines is presented. Two examples illustrate the scalable architecture. Finally, a design parameter based on a mathematical approach is presented to determine the optimal number of modules to be included on a modular scalable machine. This as a design parameter is important because it limits machine size and the number of module interfaces included in the base machine structure.     

Organizing a virtual manufacturing enterprise: an analytic network process based approach for enterprise flexibility

Virtual manufacturing is a dynamic enterprise structure that will enable future competitiveness in the fast changing business environment. This is made possible through quick IT based integration of flexible and core competent business entities capable of providing value-added product and services. Flexibility elements represent change capabilities of enterprise wide processes and resources in time and cost dimensions. Value chain considerations require synergy among the participating flexible resources. Also decision information synchronization delays need to be managed so that other entity flow processes in the enterprise remain well synchronized. This may require a capability of dynamic changes in flexible structures leading to effective virtual enterprises. There is a need to develop suitable enterprise architectures for virtual enterprises that offer an increasing focus on agility. Infrastructure support for integration of flexible capability to attain synergy among resources is necessary for enterprise agility. We conceptualize virtual manufacturing (VM) as an integrating infrastructure of flexible resources made possible through alliance of enterprises that are individually core competent in specific business function. Such a VM can attain the required cost, flexibility and responsiveness characteristics in its operations to provide solution to the demanding customer in a global dynamic market. Modelling frameworks depicting these composite flexibility states have complex and tacit interrelationship with plural business goals. Analytical network process (ANP) has been used to model the interrelationship of different decision domains with a view to prioritize enterprise wide flexibility dimensions. The ANP modelling framework takes into consideration the interdependency among sub-strategies. We demonstrate through sensitivity analysis that strategic shift is required to accommodate changes due to dynamic condition in the business environment.     

RFID-enabled product-service system for automotive part and accessory manufacturing alliances

Automotive part and accessory manufacturers (APAMs) at the lower tiers of automotive vertical supply chains have been responding to major initiatives taken by leading vehicle assemblers in adopting RFID (radio frequency identification) and ubiquitous computing technologies to alleviate their manufacturing systems. RFID-enabled real-time traceability and visibility facilitate and enhance the implementation of advanced strategies such as just-in-time (JIT) lean/responsive manufacturing and mass customisation (MC). This paper reports on findings gained from a series of industrial field and pilot studies conducted within collaborating companies. Being typically small and medium sized, APAMs are faced with business and technical challenges that are summarised by the so-called ‘three high problems’, namely high cost, high risk and high level of technical skills. This research takes a more cost-effective pragmatic approach to overcome the ‘three high problems’ by sharing out the problems among APAMs while taking a longer-term, expensive and lengthy, approach to absolutely reduce the problems. The sharing approach requires the establishment of an innovative service-oriented framework, abbreviated AUTOPS, based on the Product Service Systems (PSS) business model. RFID hardware devices are innovated into gateways as hardcore products to formulate a PSS. RFID-enabled real-time services are deployed at a common platform across members of an APAMs alliance. AUTOPS facilities are shared by APAM alliance members to reduce the start-up investment costs, reduce the level of required specialist skills, speed up installation processes and streamline maintenance services, and improve the reliability of the RFID gateway services.     

Service-based manufacturing systems: modelling and control

In service-based manufacturing systems, functionalities are independently developed as services and a central engine orchestrates their integration. As industrial processes tend to be very large, and performance and productivity are expected to be maximised, there is a constant interest in providing (in-advance) quality guarantees for services interactions, which contrasts with the usual non-automated workflow design. This paper provides an alternative to enhance service orchestration capabilities using supervisory control techniques. Initially, each component (atomic and composite activities) belonging to an orchestration language is modelled as a state-machine. Then, activity models are properly combined and composed, reproducing orchestrated workflows. Finally, supervisory control is used to calculate an optimal version of the orchestrator. Practical implications of handling large state-spaces are discussed and examples are provided.     

模块化的STEP模型管理器实现

在STEP模型管理的实现过程中应用模块化方法,定义其内部结构,并给出了相应的模型[管理器（PD－Manager)的实现结构,通过模块化模型管理,使应用领域的集成更为方便,并支持产品数据的共享,在与产品数据管理（PDM）系统结合使用后,提供了一种更灵活支持产品全生命周期产品数据管理的方式。     

Roll‐to‐roll coating of flexible glass

Flexible glass is a relatively new kind of substrate with a unique combination of properties that are, in different aspects, ideal for numerous applications. The material has aroused significant interest and has prompted activities in R&D communities dedicated to topics such as flexible electronics, flexible OLED and flexible PV. As a result, device demonstrators of considerable maturity have been created, some of which were even manufactured using a roll‐to‐roll (R2R) process. So far, these activities have not resulted in marketable final products that are produced in an industrial context. The key prerequisite for a widespread industrial adoption of R2R processing of flexible glass substrates is the availability of suitable and proven manufacturing equipment. The tools need to be able to handle and process this delicate material, taking into account its mechanical properties, which differ significantly from the typical flexible substrates such as paper, polymer film, or metal foil. This article discusses specific equipment aspects that need to be considered in the R2R handling of flexible glass, both in general and by taking the example of a roll‐to‐roll lab coating system. This tool has been designed specifically for handling flexible glass and will be available to the interested community from October 2016. Furthermore, it is shown how different processes such as R2R sputtering, evaporation, and flash lamp annealing can be used for potential flexible glass applications in flexible electronics, architecture, and energy conversion devices. Beyond that, related layer stacks deposited by vacuum coating will be discussed.     

Computer science and technology in India: A critical assessment

Information technology, which has as its base the integration of computing and communication, is bringing about far-reaching changes in the economies and life-styles of the advanced industrialized countries. In India, the preoccupation so far has been in the development of computer technology to manufacture stand-alone computers. Even to accomplish this the industrial capability is very fragmented. The mastery of information technology in all its ramifications requires building up indigenous capabilities in a variety of sub-technologies. In this context, this paper analyses in some detail the current strengths and weaknesses in computer science and technology in India and the efforts that need to be made to build up a viable base in information technology to promote economic growth and modernize industrial practices.     

Configuration of SoA-based devices in virtual production cells

The field of factory automation has been the target of many recent research efforts related to improving overall efficiency and reconfigurability in order to effectively enable the advent of mass customisation. These efforts have promoted the adoption of autonomous, loosely-coupled devices aimed at simplifying the integration of modular production cells, as well as new production control methodologies which aim to bring efficiency, agility and quick turnaround to the production process. As these new production paradigms start to trickle down to the factory floor, a new set of tools must be developed in order to support their implementation. Recent advances in computing power and functionality from the past decades have opened up the opportunity to not only improve the processing capabilities within control devices but to implement engineering tools which will support the systems engineers in building the modular production floor. This paper presents the development of such a tool which facilitates the implementation of said devices, and their functionalities which aim to simplify the configuration and layout of modular, service-oriented devices in a virtual production line. The tool can then be used as a simulation platform in order to test out different layouts and production processes.     

An architecture for IoT-enabled intelligent process-aware cloud production platform: a case study in a networked cloud clinical laboratory

Cloud production is an emerging paradigm that supports co-designing and co-producing integrated solutions with customers. The realisation of this paradigm requires integrated platforms that enable parties collaborating within a production ecosystem to inter-operate networked business processes. Previous research has proposed different architectures for cloud production platforms from different perspectives like virtualiseng and servitiseng manufacturing resources, distributed and networked sensing supported by IoT technologies, and service-oriented and process-centred computing to compose and enact networked production services. However, an integrated architecture that brings together insights from service-oriented cloud manufacturing, IoT-enabled intelligence, and networked process-centred service composition and enactment has not been sufficiently addressed in previous research. In order to incorporate insights from the mentioned different perspectives, in this paper architectural analysis, synthesis, and evaluation steps are conducted to propose a conceptual architecture for IoT-enabled intelligent process-aware cloud production platforms. This architecture describes design-time and run-time components of a cloud production platform that can sense and intelligently respond to events within a value network. To evaluate the applicability of the proposed architecture within real-life scenarios, a case study is conducted in a cloud clinical laboratory in Tehran, Iran. Within this case study, a concrete cloud clinical laboratory platform has been instantiated.     

支持多应用的统一制造资源模型研究

支持多应用的统一制造资源模型是实现资源数据集成、加强应用的深度和广度以及实现企业整体资源优化的基础.从信息完整性、管理与应用以及企业个性化要求等多个角度分析了统一制造资源建模的需求,提出了资源元数据模型的概念,将资源数据分解为资源实体、资源类型、资源组合、资源视图与资源能力五个方面进行描述,在此基础上提出了统一制造资源信息模型(UMRIM)框架,该框架由资源核心模型层、应用模型层和整体优化模型层构成.基于UMRIM和面向服务架构的模式建立了资源服务平台,给出了平台的结构.     

Engineering Informatics: State of the Art and Future Trends

Engineering informatics is an emerging engineering discipline integrating information technology or informatics with a variety of engineering disciplines. It is an interdisciplinary scientific subject focusing on applying advanced information and communications technology (ICT) to a variety of engineering disciplines. Rapid advances in industrial information integration methods have spurred the growth of new techniques that can be used for probing industrial information integration including engineering informatics. These techniques include business process management (BPM), enterprise architecture (EA), enterprise application integration (EAI), service-oriented architecture (SOA), and others. Practical applications may require a combination of these techniques that have originated from different disciplines. These techniques have the potential to contribute to engineering informatics. For integrating complex engineering systems, both formal methods and systems methods are crucial. In this paper, we briefl review the state of the art of engineering informatics as it interfacing with industrial information integration.     

Application of Axiomatic Design principles to control complexity dynamics in a mixed-model assembly system: a case analysis

The purpose of this paper is to test the validity of Axiomatic Design (AD)-based complexity theory as an explanatory construct and as a methodological guidance for the early detection of need for change in flexible manufacturing systems in order to maintain competitiveness even in turbulent environmental conditions. The AD approach postulates that there are general design principles that govern the behaviour of a system. This proposition is empirically investigated for a flexible mixed-model assembly system by the examination of a long-term study conducted in a medium-sized industrial company. The findings of the long-term study suggest the introduction of a company specific cycle of functional periodicity in combination with a set of functional requirements working together as a regular trigger to detect whether the system range is moving away from the once defined manufacturing system's design range. The paper extends the research work made in the field of AD by focusing on mechanisms that help to control the effects of time-dependent complexity in manufacturing (re)design. Examples of methods and lead measures are given that can be used by organisations in early detecting and controlling complexity driven efficiency losses in manufacturing systems.     

EUCLIS--an information system for circadian systems biology

A major barrier to progress in systems biology is the absence of suitable infrastructure for data and software integration, which would enable working biologists to use and manipulate the techniques directly. We describe the incremental development of key components of such an infrastructure for a research community focused on a specific (but important) biological system. EUCLOCK combines the expertise of 34 chronobiology laboratories from 29 institutions in 11 European countries in a 5-year effort to understand how circadian clocks are synchronised to their specific cyclic environment (entrainment). We envision that the EUCLOCK Information System (EUCLIS) will subsequently evolve to support the worldwide chronobiology community. The architecture of EUCLIS integrates a database for circadian systems biology, containing modules for experimental data (Clock Experiments) and models (Clock Models) with a digital library (Clock KnowledgeBase) for the research community. The digital library paradigm is superior to the simple 'access' or 'mining' as well as the 'data warehouse' approaches currently used in other systems as it provides a flexible framework for community information needs and the potential to use emerging reference models and standards, which will enable easier integration with other systems in the future. The main Clock KnowledgeBase components for EUCLIS V1.0, Clock Genes and Clock Library, are described in detail. An important aspect this work will need to address in the future is the integration of the database and digital library management functions.     

Web services in the retail industry

It is a well-known fact that the retail industry always works on razorthin margins and the key to survival lies in optimization of resources both in space and time dimensions as well as maximization of customer satisfaction. Access to timely and even real-time information to a wide variety of channel and trading partners, sales personnel, line managers, store managers etc. is the key to achieving this. Web services technology holds out a lot of promise for the retail industry in this respect. It is a platform-neutral, easy to deploy set of standards for achieving business data and process integration, without going for proprietary point to point connections. It promises to connect the information providers and information consumers across a wide variety of platforms, devices and on an on-demand basis. Being based on service-oriented architecture (SOA) principles it can also form the enabling service interface layer for other emerging technologies like BAM, BPM, mobile and RFID. In this paper, we attempt to understand information-flow needs in the retail industry and also suggest a roadmap approach by which the retail enterprise could exploit the potential of web services at minimal risk.     

An Artificial Flexible Visual Memory System Based on an UV‐Motivated Memristor

For the mimicry of human visual memory, a prominent challenge is how to detect and store the image information by electronic devices, which demands a multifunctional integration to sense light like eyes and to memorize image information like the brain by transforming optical signals to electrical signals that can be recognized by electronic devices. Although current image sensors can perceive simple images in real time, the image information fades away when the external image stimuli are removed. The deficiency between the state‐of‐the‐art image sensors and visual memory system inspires the logical integration of image sensors and memory devices to realize the sensing and memory process toward light information for the bionic design of human visual memory. Hence, a facile architecture is designed to construct artificial flexible visual memory system by employing an UV‐motivated memristor. The visual memory arrays can realize the detection and memory process of UV light distribution with a patterned image for a long‐term retention and the stored image information can be reset by a negative voltage sweep and reprogrammed to the same or an other image distribution, which proves the effective reusability. These results provide new opportunities for the mimicry of human visual memory and enable the flexible visual memory device to be applied in future wearable electronics, electronic eyes, multifunctional robotics, and auxiliary equipment for visual handicapped.     

Robust Monitoring of an Industrial IT System in the Presence of Structural Change

This paper presents original research initiated by the monitoring needs of a semiconductor production plant. The industrial operations rely on an Information Technology (IT) system, and several time series data are controlled statistically. Unfortunately, these variables often contain outliers, as well as structural changes because of external decisions in the IT activity. As a consequence, it has been observed that the monitoring results obtained with standard techniques could be severely biased. This paper attempts to overcome such difficulties. A new monitoring method is proposed, based on robust Holt–Winters smoothing algorithm, and coupled with a relearning procedure for structural break detection. Such a method is flexible enough for a large‐scale industrial application. We evaluate performance through simulation and show its usefulness in real industrial applications for univariate and multivariate time series. The scope of application deals with IT activity monitoring, but the introduced statistical methods are generic enough for being used in other industrial fields. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Agile manufacturing system control based on cell re-configuration

The control of an agile manufacturing system (AMS) is expected to be flexible, open, scalable and re-configurable so as to tackle the more complex and uncertain information flows. To meet these requirements, we propose agent-based control architecture for AMS, under which the functions of task planning, scheduling and dynamic control are integrated seamlessly. First of all, this paper introduces the concept of RMC (re-configurable manufacturing cell), based on which, we construct the control architecture for AMS in compliance with multi-agent system (MAS). The whole control process under the architecture comprises two hierarchies, i.e. the upper one for order planning and RMC forming and the lower one for task scheduling within each RMC. For the upper hierarchy, we establish a linear integer programming (LIP)-based mathematical model and a MAS-based dynamic process model, and present a two-step approach to order planning and RMC forming. For the lower hierarchy, we develop the scheduling model, a method based on the bidding mechanism from contract net, and describe the rescheduling mechanism in the control system. To illustrate the methodology proposed in the paper, a simulation study is thoroughly discussed. Our studies demonstrate that the RMC-based control architecture provides an AMS with an optimal, dynamic and flexible mechanism of responding to an unpredictable manufacturing environment, which is crucial to achieve agility for the whole manufacturing system.