Toward Knowledge-Based Control Of Flexible Manufacturing Systems

This paper examines the use of artificial intelligence (AI) concepts to augment/enhance flexible manufacturing system (FMS) control systems by providing flexibility in decision-making to manage and control the system. Such a system would use a “knowledge-based” approach to system control. The paper first defines the problems and issues in FMS planning and control and then examines the AI technology that can be used to solve them. The paper shows that the FMS control structure is conceptually similar to an Al-based opportunistic hierarchical planning architecture. The paper concludes by discussing the prospects for knowledge-based control of FMSs in view of current technology.