Knowledge-based workcell controllers for job shop and flow shop production

Abstract

Expert systems being implemented in a car radio plant in Wetzlar, Germany are described. The implementation examples refer to the three basic management tasks: coordination, planning, and control. The respective shop coordinator, workcell planner, and workcell controller software is described. The function, structure, and behavior of the artificial-intelligence software are explained in detail. The implementation examples presented illustrate such key concepts of various domains as job shop and flow shop production; planning, control, and coordination; and object-oriented modeling, blackboard problem solving, and temporal reasoning. Results show that the concepts of the technology domain not only ideally match those of the application domain, but are also tractable and lead to applicable systems in the factory.<>