AI and OR in management of operations: history and trends

The last decade has seen a considerable growth in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for operations management with the aim of finding solutions to problems that are increasing in complexity and scale. This paper begins by setting the context for the survey through a historical perspective of OR and AI. An extensive survey of applications of AI techniques for operations management, covering a total of over 1200 papers published from 1995 to 2004 is then presented. The survey utilizes Elsevier's ScienceDirect database as a source. Hence, the survey may not cover all the relevant journals but includes a sufficiently wide range of publications to make it representative of the research in the field. The papers are categorized into four areas of operations management: (a) design, (b) scheduling, (c) process planning and control and (d) quality, maintenance and fault diagnosis. Each of the four areas is categorized in terms of the AI techniques used: genetic algorithms, case-based reasoning, knowledge-based systems, fuzzy logic and hybrid techniques. The trends over the last decade are identified, discussed with respect to expected trends and directions for future work suggested

From computer-aided to intelligent machining: Recent advances in computer numerical control machining research

The aim of this paper is to provide an introduction and overview of recent advances in the key technologies and the supporting computerized systems, and to indicate the trend of research and development in the area of computational numerical control machining. Three main themes of recent research in CNC machining are simulation, optimization and automation, which form the key aspects of intelligent manufacturing in the digital and knowledge based manufacturing era. As the information and knowledge carrier, feature is the efficacious way to achieve intelligent manufacturing. From the regular shaped feature to freeform surface feature, the feature technology has been used in manufacturing of complex parts, such as aircraft structural parts. The authors’ latest research in intelligent machining is presented through a new concept of multi-perspective dynamic feature (MpDF), for future discussion and communication with readers of this special issue. The MpDF concept has been implemented and tested in real examples from the aerospace industry, and has the potential to make promising impact on the future research in the new paradigm of intelligent machining. The authors of this paper are the guest editors of this special issue on computational numerical control machining. The guest editors have extensive and complementary experiences in both academia and industry, gained in China, USA and UK

Latest Developments in Industrial Hybrid Machine Tools that Combine Additive and Subtractive Operations

Hybrid machine tools combining additive and subtractive processes have arisen as a solution to increasing manufacture requirements, boosting the potentials of both technologies, while compensating and minimizing their limitations. Nevertheless, the idea of hybrid machines is relatively new and there is a notable lack of knowledge about the implications arisen from their in-practice use. Therefore, the main goal of the present paper is to fill the existing gap, giving an insight into the current advancements and pending tasks of hybrid machines both from an academic and industrial perspective. To that end, the technical-economical potentials and challenges emerging from their use are identified and critically discussed. In addition, the current situation and future perspectives of hybrid machines from the point of view of process planning, monitoring, and inspection are analyzed. On the one hand, it is found that hybrid machines enable a more efficient use of the resources available, as well as the production of previously unattainable complex parts. On the other hand, it is concluded that there are still some technological challenges derived from the interaction of additive and subtractive processes to be overcome (e.g., process planning, decision planning, use of cutting fluids, and need for a post-processing) before a full implantation of hybrid machines is fulfilledSpecial thanks are addressed to the Industry and Competitiveness Spanish Ministry for the support on the DPI2016-79889-R INTEGRADDI project and to the PARADDISE project H2020-IND-CE-2016-17/H2020-FOF-2016 of the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program

Intelligent machining methods for Ti6Al4V: a review

Digital manufacturing is a necessity to establishing a roadmap for the future manufacturing systems projected for the fourth industrial revolution. Intelligent features such as behavior prediction, decision- making abilities, and failure detection can be integrated into machining systems with computational methods and intelligent algorithms. This review reports on techniques for Ti6Al4V machining process modeling, among them numerical modeling with finite element method (FEM) and artificial intelligence- based models using artificial neural networks (ANN) and fuzzy logic (FL). These methods are intrinsically intelligent due to their ability to predict machining response variables. In the context of this review, digital image processing (DIP) emerges as a technique to analyze and quantify the machining response (digitization) in the real machining process, often used to validate and (or) introduce data in the modeling techniques enumerated above. The widespread use of these techniques in the future will be crucial for the development of the forthcoming machining systems as they provide data about the machining process, allow its interpretation and quantification in terms of useful information for process modelling and optimization, which will create machining systems less dependent on direct human intervention.publishe

Multi-agent framework based on smart sensors/actuators for machine tools control and monitoring

Throughout the history, the evolutions of the requirements for manufacturing equipments have depended on the changes in the customers' demands. Among the present trends in the requirements for new manufacturing equipments, there are more flexible and more reactive machines. In order to satisfy those requirements, this paper proposes a control and monitoring framework for machine tools based on smart sensor, on smart actuator and on agent concepts. The proposed control and monitoring framework achieves machine monitoring, process monitoring and adapting functions that are not usually provided by machine tool control systems. The proposed control and monitoring framework has been evaluated by the means of a simulated operative part of a machine tool. The communication between the agents is achieved thanks to an Ethernet network and CORBA protocol. The experiments (with and without cooperation between agents for accommodating) give encouraging results for implementing the proposed control framework to operational machines. Also, the cooperation between the agents of control and monitoring framework contributes to the improvement of reactivity by adapting cutting parameters to the machine and process states and to increase productivity

Predictive Maintenance on the Machining Process and Machine Tool

This paper presents the process required to implement a data driven Predictive Maintenance (PdM) not only in the machine decision making, but also in data acquisition and processing. A short review of the different approaches and techniques in maintenance is given. The main contribution of this paper is a solution for the predictive maintenance problem in a real machining process. Several steps are needed to reach the solution, which are carefully explained. The obtained results show that the Preventive Maintenance (PM), which was carried out in a real machining process, could be changed into a PdM approach. A decision making application was developed to provide a visual analysis of the Remaining Useful Life (RUL) of the machining tool. This work is a proof of concept of the methodology presented in one process, but replicable for most of the process for serial productions of pieces

A Survey of Automated Process Planning Approaches in Machining

Global industrial trend is shifting towards next industrial revolution Industry 4.0. It is becoming increasingly important for modern manufacturing industries to develop a Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) system by integrating the various operational and information processing functions in design and manufacturing. In spite of being active in research for almost four decades, it is clear that new functionalities are needed to integrate and realize a completely optimal process planning which can be fully compliant towards Smart Factory. In order to develop a CIM system, Computer Aided Process Planning (CAPP) plays a key role and therefore it has been the focus of many researchers. In order to gain insight into the current state-of-the-art of CAPP methodologies, 96 research papers have been reviewed. Subsequent sections discuss the different CAPP approaches adopted by researchers to automate different process planning tasks. This paper aims at addressing the key approaches involved and future directions towards Smart Manufacturing

Estimation of surface roughness on Ti-6Al-4V in high speed micro end milling by ANFIS model

379-389Titanium and its alloys are a few of the most suitable materials in medical applications due to their biocompatibility, anticorrosion and desirable mechanical properties compared to other materials like commercially pure Nb & Ta, Cr-Co alloys and stainless steels. High speed micro end milling is one of the favorable methods for accomplishing micro features on hard metals/alloys with better quality products delivering efficiently in shorter lead and production times. In this paper, experimental investigation of machining parameters influence on surface roughness in high speed micro end milling of Ti-6Al-4V using uncoated tungsten carbide tools under dry cutting conditions and prediction of surface roughness using adaptive neuro- fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) methodology has been presented. Using MATLAB tool box - ANFIS approach four membership functions - triangular, trapezoidal, gbell, gauss has been chosen during the training process in order to evaluate the prediction accuracy of surface roughness. The model’s predictions have been compared with experimental data for verifying the approach. From the comparison of four membership functions, the prediction accuracy of ANFIS has been reached 99.96% using general bell membership function. The most influential factor which influences the surface roughness has the feed rate followed by depth of cut

In-process pokayoke development in multiple automatic manufacturing processes

In this dissertation, three in-process pokayoke systems were developed to prevent defects from occurring, so as to ensure product quality for three automated manufacturing processes.;The first pokayoke development resulted in an in-process, gap-caused flash monitoring (IGFM) system for injection-molding machines. An accelerometer sensor was integrated in the proposed system to detect the difference of the vibration signals between flash and non-flash products. By sub-grouping every two consecutive molded parts with the vibration signal, the online statistical process control (OLSPC) was able to monitor 100% of the molded products. The threshold of this system established by the SPC approach can determine if flash occurred when the machine was in process. The testing results indicated that the accuracy of this IGFM system was 94.7% when flash is caused by a mold-closing gap.;The second pokayoke development led to an in-process surface roughness adaptive control (ISRAC) system for CNC end milling operations. A multiple linear regression algorithm was successfully employed to generate the models for predicting surface roughness and adaptive feed rate change in real time. Not only were the machining parameters included in the ISRAC pokayoke system, but also the cutting force signals collected by a dynamometer sensor. The testing results showed this proposed ISRAC system was able to predict surface roughness in real time with an accuracy of 91.5%, and could successfully implement adaptive control 100% of the time during milling operations.;The third pokayoke development brought an in-process surface roughness adaptive control (ISRAC) system in CNC turning operations. This system employed a back-propagation (BP) neural network algorithm to train the models for in-process surface roughness prediction and adaptive parameter control. In addition to the machining parameters, vibration signals in the Z direction used as an input variable to the neural network system were included for training. The test runs showed this pokayoke system was able to predict surface roughness in real time with an accuracy of 92.5%. The 100% success rate for adaptive control proved that this proposed system could be implemented to adaptively control surface roughness during turning operations