A reference architecture for flexibly integrating machine vision within manufacturing

A reference architecture provides an overall framework that may embrace models, methodologies and mechanisms which can support the lifecycle of their target domain. The work described in this thesis makes a contribution to establishing such a generally applicable reference architecture for supporting the lifecycIe of a new generation of integrated machine vision systems. Contemporary machine vision systems consist of a complex combination of mechanical engineering, the hardware and software of an electronic processor, plus optical, sensory and lighting components. "This thesis is concerned with the structure of the software which characterises the system application. The machine vision systems which are currently used within manufacturing industry are difficult to integrate within the information systems required within modem manufacturing enterprises. They are inflexible in all but the execution of a range of similar operations, and their design and implementation is often such that they are difficult to update in the face of the required change inherent within modem manufacturing. The proposed reference architecture provides an overall framework within which a number of supporting models, design methodologies, and implementation mechanisms can combine to provide support for the rapid creation and maintenance of highly structured machine vision applications. These applications comprise modules which can be considered as building blocks of CIM systems. Their integrated interoperation can be enabled by the emerging infrastructural tools which will be required to underpin the next generation of flexibly integrated manufacturing systems. The work described in this thesis concludes that the issues of machine vision applications and the issues of integration of these applications within manufacturing systems are entirely separate. This separation is reflected in the structure of the thesis. PART B details vision application issues while PAIIT C deals with integration. The criteria for next generation integrated machine vision systems, derived in PART A of the thesis, are extensive. In order to address these criteria and propose a complete architecture, a "thin slice" is taken through the areas of vision application, and integration at the lifecycle stages of design, implementation, runtime and maintenance. The thesis describes the reference architecture, demonstrates its use though a proof of concept implementation and evaluates the support offered by the architecture for easing the problems of software change

Applications integration for manufacturing control systems with particular reference to software interoperability issues

The introduction and adoption of contemporary computer aided manufacturing control systems (MCS) can help rationalise and improve the productivity of manufacturing related activities. Such activities include product design, process planning and production management with CAD, CAPP and CAPM. However, they tend to be domain specific and would generally have been designed as stand-alone systems where there is a serious lack of consideration for integration requirements with other manufacturing activities outside the area of immediate concern. As a result, "islands of computerisation" exist which exhibit deficiencies and constraints that inhibit or complicate subsequent interoperation among typical MCS components. As a result of these interoperability constraints, contemporary forms of MCS typically yield sub-optimal benefits and do not promote synergy on an enterprise-wide basis. The move towards more integrated manufacturing systems, which requires advances in software interoperability, is becoming a strategic issue. Here the primary aim is to realise greater functional synergy between software components which span engineering, production and management activities and systems. Hence information of global interest needs to be shared across conventional functional boundaries between enterprise functions. The main thrust of this research study is to derive a new generation of MCS in which software components can "functionally interact" and share common information through accessing distributed data repositories in an efficient, highly flexible and standardised manner. It addresses problems of information fragmentation and the lack of formalism, as well as issues relating to flexibly structuring interactions between threads of functionality embedded within the various components. The emphasis is on the: • definition of generic information models which underpin the sharing of common data among production planning, product design, finite capacity scheduling and cell control systems. • development of an effective framework to manage functional interaction between MCS components, thereby coordinating their combined activities. • "soft" or flexible integration of the MCS activities over an integrating infrastructure in order to (i) help simplify typical integration problems found when using contemporary interconnection methods for applications integration; and (ii) enable their reconfiguration and incremental development. In order to facilitate adaptability in response to changing needs, these systems must also be engineered to enable reconfigurability over their life cycle. Thus within the scope of this research study a new methodology and software toolset have been developed to formally structure and support implementation, run-time and change processes. The tool set combines the use of IDEFO (for activity based or functional modelling), IDEFIX (for entity-attribute relationship modelling), and EXPRESS (for information modelling). This research includes a pragmatic but effective means of dealing with legacyl software, which often may be a vital source of readily available information which supports the operation of the manufacturing enterprise. The pragmatism and medium term relevance of the research study has promoted particular interest and collaboration from software manufacturers and industrial practitioners. Proof of concept studies have been carried out to implement and evaluate the developed mechanisms and software toolset

Using an object exchange model for distributed simulation

Master'sMASTER OF SCIENC

Interoperability framework of virtual factory and business innovation

Interoperability framework of virtual factory and business innovationTask T51 Design a common schema and schema evolution framework for supporting interoperabilityTask T52 Design interoperability framework for supporting datainformation transformation service composition and business process cooperation among partnersA draft version is envisioned for month 44 which will be updated to reflect incremental changes driven by the other working packages for month 72 deliverable 7.

Object Serialization and Deserialization Using XML

Interoperability of potentially heterogeneous databases has been an ongoing research issue for a number of years in the database community. With the trend towards globalization of data location and data access and the consequent requirement for the coexistence of new data stores with legacy systems, the cooperation and data interchange between data repositories has become increasingly important. The emergence of the eXtensible Markup Language (XML) as a database independent representation for data offers a suitable mechanism for transporting data between repositories. This paper describes a research activity within a group at CERN (called CMS) towards identifying and implementing database serialization and deserialization methods that can be used to replicate or migrate objects across the network between CERN and worldwide centres using XML to serialize the contents of multiple objects resident in object-oriented databases.Comment: 14 pages 7 figure

Production optimization using discrete simulation

Mestrado APNOR e Universidade de S. PetersburgoProduction and manufacturing setups involving lean solutions and customer driven “pull” logic (e.g. kanban systems) are more and more common. Usually, these systems allow companies to increase efficiency, quality levels, work force motivation and general productivity. Although these systems are not too difficult to plan and operate, in complex situations, even small adjustments can produce some unforeseen effects. In this scenario, discrete simulation can provide the tools to model the underlying systems and test the desired changes before implementation. In this work we modelled typical pull production systems with more or less complexity using a commercial discrete simulation software (SIMIO). Once the modelling phase was completed, different adjustments in the number of Kanban cards in the system were tested and evaluated, in order to optimize the system. Also, the final simulation model was built generic enough to be used in classroom environment to familiarize students with pull production concepts.As configurações de produção e fabricação envolvendo soluções lean e a lógica pull orientada ao cliente (por exemplo, sistemas kanban) são cada vez mais comuns. Normalmente, estes sistemas permitem que as empresas aumentem a eficiência, os níveis de qualidade, a motivação da força de trabalho e a produtividade geral. Embora esses sistemas não sejam muito difíceis de planear e operar, em situações complexas, mesmo pequenos ajustes podem produzir alguns efeitos imprevistos. Nesse cenário, a simulação discreta pode fornecer as ferramentas para modelar os sistemas subjacentes e testar as alterações desejadas antes da implementação. Neste trabalho modelamos sistemas típicos de produção puxada com maior ou menor complexidade usando um software comercial para simulação discreta (SIMIO). Uma vez concluída a fase de modelação, foram testados e avaliados diferentes ajustes no número de cartões kanban no sistema, a fim de otimizar o sistema. Além disso, o modelo de simulação final foi construído de forma suficientemente genérica para ser usado em ambiente de sala de aula para familiarizar os alunos com conceitos de produção puxada (pull).Организация производства и технологическая наладка с применением концепций «бережливого» и «вытягивающего» производства, ориентированных на нужды потребителя (например, система канбан) получают все более широкое распространение. Обычно, данные системы позволяют компаниям повышать эффективность, уровень качества, мотивацию сотрудников и производительность в целом. И хотя реализация данных подходов не является слишком трудоемкой, в сложных ситуациях даже малейшие корректировки могут привести к непредвиденным последствиям. В таком случае, дискретное моделирование может предоставить инструменты для создания базовых моделей и их тестирования, до внесения изменений в реальную систему. В данной работе было смоделировано типичное, более-менее сложное вытягивающее производство с применением коммерческого программного средства дискретного имитационного моделирования (SIMIO). После создания симуляции было протестировано и оценено использование разного количества канбан карт в системе с целью ее оптимизации. Также, финальная симуляция была создана достаточно общей, чтобы ее можно было использовать во время аудиторных занятий для ознакомления студентов с концепцией вытягивающего производства

D7.5 FIRST consolidated project results

The FIRST project commenced in January 2017 and concluded in December 2022, including a 24-month suspension period due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the project, we successfully delivered seven technical reports, conducted three workshops on Key Enabling Technologies for Digital Factories in conjunction with CAiSE (in 2019, 2020, and 2022), produced a number of PhD theses, and published over 56 papers (and numbers of summitted journal papers). The purpose of this deliverable is to provide an updated account of the findings from our previous deliverables and publications. It involves compiling the original deliverables with necessary revisions to accurately reflect the final scientific outcomes of the project

Manufacturing systems interoperability in dynamic change environments

The benefits of rapid i.e. nearly real time, data and information enabled decision making at all levels of a manufacturing enterprise are clearly documented: the ability to plan accurately, react quickly and even pre-empt situations can save industries billions of dollars in waste. As the pace of industry increases with automation and technology, so the need for accurate, data, information and knowledge increases. As the required pace of information collection, processing and exchange change so to do the challenges of achieving and maintaining interoperability as the systems develop: this thesis focuses on the particular challenge of interoperability between systems defined in different time frames, which may have very different terminology. This thesis is directed to improve the ability to assess the requirement for systems to interoperate, and their suitability to do so, as new systems emerge to support this need for change. In this thesis a novel solution concept is proposed that assesses the requirement and suitability of systems for interoperability. The solution concept provides a mechanism for describing systems consistently and unambiguously, even if they are developed in different timeframes. Having resolved the issue of semantic consistency through time the analysis of the systems against logical rules for system interoperability is then possible. The solution concept uses a Core Concept ontology as the foundation for a multi-level heavyweight ontology. The multiple level ontology allows increasing specificity (to ensure accuracy), while the heavyweight (i.e. computer interpretable) nature provides the semantic and logical, rigour required. A detailed investigation has been conducted to test the solution concept using a suitably dynamic environment: Manufacturing Systems, and in particular the emerging field of Manufacturing Intelligence Systems. A definitive definition for the Manufacturing Intelligence domain, constraining interoperability logic, and a multi-level domain ontology have been defined and used to successfully prove the Solution Concept. Using systems from different timeframes, the Solution concept testing successfully identified systems which needed to interoperate, whether they were suitable for interoperation and provided feedback on the reasons for unsuitability which were validated as correct against real world observations

Matrix-structured manufacturing systems : Simulation performance analysis as a successor to dedicated production lines

ABSTRACT: Growing demand for product variations has led to mass personalized production in the manufacturing industry. Many manufacturers still use traditional product line configurations based on a dedicated manufacturing system (DMS). This system is not considered compatible with ongoing manufacturing trend. The challenge is finding a manufacturing system that would combine high productivity with the flexibility to produce multiple types of products. To this end, a matrix-structured manufacturing system (MMS) was developed. In addition, a reconfigurable manufacturing system (RMS) has been researched as a replacement for the DMS. The problem is that these two systems are not compared performance-wise. Moreover, it has not been investigated in which cases MMS or RMS would provide better compatibility to replace the product line. This Master’s thesis aims to answer how MMS and RMS perform compared to DMS regarding productivity and flexibility. Furthermore, it is evaluated in which manufacturing scenarios MMS provide better performance than RMS and DMS. Finally, thesis seeks to answer what are the benefits and disadvantages of MMS compared to RMS and DMS. To fill this research gap in knowledge, thesis presents a discrete-event simulation experiment. Thesis follows principles of experimental research with deductive approach and collects quantitative data from manufacturing simulation. Theoretical review is conducted focusing on characteristics and background of manufacturing systems. This information is utilized when designing and constructing simulation experiment. Simulation results are evaluated from the following performance perspectives: efficiency, effectiveness, delivery, and operational flexibility. These are based on com mon manufacturing competitive priorities. It was discovered that MMS provides highest workstation utilization and overall production effectiveness. RMS performed best in efficiency, delivery, and flexibility perspective. Flexibility was measured with production scenarios which involved simulated production disturbances and changes in number of products in system. It was found that production flow in MMS is declined significantly when number of products in system increases to high level. DMS resulted lowest in every scenario and performance view. The problem is the inflexibility to alternative production routes making it sensitive to production disruptions. Both MMS and RMS provided notably better productivity and flexibility performance than DMS. Based on the results, MMS is recommended for production scenarios where product variety extends over product family with importance in production customization and high station utilization. RMS is suitable for scenarios where delivery performance with flexibility is crucial.TIIVISTELMÄ: Kasvava määrä tuotevarianttien kysynnälle johtanut massapersonointiin massatuotannossa. Monet teollisuuden yritykset käyttävät yhä perinteisiä tuotelinjakonfiguraatioita, jotka kuuluvat kiinteisiin työasemiin perustuviin tuotantojärjestelmiin (DMS). Kuitenkaan näiden ei nähdä soveltuvan käynnissä olevaan tuotantotrendiin. Haasteena on löytää valmistusjärjestelmä, jossa korkea tuottavuus yhdistyisi joustavuuteen tuottaa monenlaisia tuotteita. Tätä varten kehitettiin matriisirakenteinen valmistusjärjestelmä (MMS). Lisäksi uudelleen konfiguroitavaa valmistusjärjestelmää (RMS) tutkitaan korvaajaksi perinteiselle tuotantolinjalle. Ongelmana on, että näitä kahta järjestelmää ei ole vertailtu suorituskyvyllisesti. Lisäksi ei ole tutkittu, missä tapauksissa MMS tai RMS olisi parempi vaihtoehto perinteisen tuotelinjan korvaajaksi. Tämän Pro gradu -tutkielman tavoitteena on vastata kysymykseen, miten MMS ja RMS suoriutuvat verrattuna perinteiseen tuotelinjaan tarkasteltaessa järjestelmän tuottavuutta ja joustavuutta. Lisäksi arvioidaan, missä valmistusskenaarioissa MMS tarjoaa parempaa suorituskykyä kuin RMS ja DMS. Viimeisenä tutkielmassa pyritään vastaamaan mitkä ovat MMS:n edut ja haitat verrattuna RMS:ään ja DMS:ään. Tutkimusaukon täyttämiseksi opinnäytetyö esittää diskreetti tapahtumapohjaisen simulaation. Tutkielma noudattaa kokeellisen tutkimuksen periaatteita deduktiivisella lähestymistavalla, jossa kerätään kvantitatiivista dataa tuotantosimulaatiosta. Teoreettinen katsaus keskittyy valmistusjärjestelmien ominaispiirteisiin sekä taustaan. Tätä tietoa hyödynnetään suunniteltaessa ja rakentaessa simulaatiokoetta. Simuloinnin tuloksia arvioidaan seuraavista suorituskyvyn näkökulmista: hyötysuhde, tehokkuus, toimituskyky ja järjestelmän joustavuus. Nämä perustuvat yleisiin tuotannon kilpailuprioriteetteihin. Tutkielmassa havaittiin, että MMS tarjoaa korkeimman työaseman käyttöasteen ja tuotantojärjestelmän tehokkuuden. RMS suoriutui parhaiten hyötysuhteen, toimituskyvyn ja joustavuuden näkökulmista. Joustavuutta mitattiin tuotantoskenaarioilla, joissa simuloitiin tuotantohäiriöitä ja muutoksia yhtäaikaisesti valmistettavien tuotteiden määrässä tuotannossa. Tutkielmassa todettiin, että MMS:n tuotantovirta hidastuu merkittävästi, kun valmistettavien tuotteiden määrä järjestelmässä kasvaa korkealle tasolle. DMS suoriutui huonoiten kaikissa skenaarioissa ja suorituskykynäkökulmista. Tämä johtuu joustamattomuudesta vaihtoehtoisille tuotereiteille tekien siitä herkän häiriöille. Molemmat sekä MMS että RMS tarjosivat huomattavasti paremman tuottavuus- ja joustavuuskyvyn kuin DMS. Tutkimuksen tuloksiin perustuen MMS:ää suositellaan tuotantoskenaarioihin, joissa tuotevalikoima ulottuu myös yli tuoteperheen, ja jossa tuotannon kustomointikyky ja korkea työasemien käyttöaste on tärkeää. RMS sopii skenaarioihin, joissa tuotannon toimituskyky ja joustavuus on ratkaisevan tärkeää