Journal of Control Engineering and Applied Informatics
Semi-Heterarchical Distributed Control of a Holonic Manufacturing Cell
Abstract
The paper describes a solution and implementing framework for the management of changes
which may occur in a holonic manufacturing system. This solution is part of the semi-heterarchical
control architecture developed for agile job shop assembly with intelligent robots-vision workstations.
Two categories of changes in the manufacturing system are considered: (i) changes occurring in resource
status at process level: resource breakdown, failure of (vision-based) in-line inspection operation, and
depletion of local robot storages; (ii) changes in production orders at business (ERP) level: rush orders.
All these situations trigger production plan update and rescheduling (redefine the list of Order Holons) by
pipelining CNP-type resource bidding at shop-floor horizon with global product scheduling at aggregate
batch horizon. Failure- and recovery management are developed as generic scenarios embedding the CNP
mechanism into production self-rescheduling. Implementing solutions and experimental results are
reported for a 6-station robot-vision assembly cell with twin-track closed-loop pallet transportation
system, Cartesian pallet feeding station, dual assembly component feeder with robot-vision tending and
product tracking RD/WR devices. Future developments will consider manufacturing integration at
enterprise level.
which may occur in a holonic manufacturing system. This solution is part of the semi-heterarchical
control architecture developed for agile job shop assembly with intelligent robots-vision workstations.
Two categories of changes in the manufacturing system are considered: (i) changes occurring in resource
status at process level: resource breakdown, failure of (vision-based) in-line inspection operation, and
depletion of local robot storages; (ii) changes in production orders at business (ERP) level: rush orders.
All these situations trigger production plan update and rescheduling (redefine the list of Order Holons) by
pipelining CNP-type resource bidding at shop-floor horizon with global product scheduling at aggregate
batch horizon. Failure- and recovery management are developed as generic scenarios embedding the CNP
mechanism into production self-rescheduling. Implementing solutions and experimental results are
reported for a 6-station robot-vision assembly cell with twin-track closed-loop pallet transportation
system, Cartesian pallet feeding station, dual assembly component feeder with robot-vision tending and
product tracking RD/WR devices. Future developments will consider manufacturing integration at
enterprise level.