Deployment of a distributed multi-agent architecture for transformable assembly

Chaplin, Jack C.; Ratchev, Svetan

Abstract

Industry 4.0 represents a new philosophy in manufacturing systems, based on networked, intelligent, and cooperative resources. This revolution is necessary to make the cost-effective production of batch-size-of-one customised items in high-value manufacturing domains such as aerospace a reality. However, there exist large numbers of legacy production cells which generate value for enterprises which would ideally become part of a future manufacturing system, but which lack the necessary computational or networking capabilities. This is especially important in the case of small to medium enterprises, where Industry 4.0 is perceived as an expensive endeavour out of reach due to cost. There is a requirement for Industry 4.0 to be brought to existing legacy production cells in a cost effective and standards-compliant manner. This paper describes the technical implementation of an Evolvable Assembly Systems deployment onto an existing legacy manufacturing cell, describing the concepts and technical specif-ics of how to interface a software-based multi-agent system with real manufacturing hardware, and demonstrates how it is possible to make a transformable manufacturing cell which is compliant to the Industry 4.0 ideals in a cost-effective and expedient manner.

Citation

Chaplin, J. C., & Ratchev, S. (2018). Deployment of a distributed multi-agent architecture for transformable assembly. In Precision assembly in the digital age (15-28). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05931-6_2

• Presentation Conference Type: Edited Proceedings
• Conference Name: 8th IFIP WG 5.5 International Precision Assembly Seminar, IPAS 2018
• Start Date: Jan 14, 2018
• End Date: Jan 16, 2018
• Acceptance Date: Dec 14, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Dec 31, 2018
• Publication Date: Dec 31, 2018
• Deposit Date: Jan 17, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 1, 2020
• Publisher: Springer
• Pages: 15-28
• Series Number: 530
• Series ISSN: 1868-422X
• Book Title: Precision assembly in the digital age
• ISBN: 9783030059309
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05931-6_2
• Keywords: Industry 40; Evolvable assembly systems; Smart manufacturing
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1480552
• Publisher URL: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-05931-6_2
• Contract Date: Jan 17, 2019