Multi-agent system for on-demand production integrating production and quality control

Multi-agent systems is being pointed as particularly suited to design and engineer a new class of control systems to operate at the factory plants addressing the current requirements of modularity, flexibility and re-configurability. This paper introduces the main principles of a multi-agent system approach to support the integration of production and quality control processes in washing machines production lines that is being developed under the EU FP7 GRACE project

Recent developments and future trends of industrial agents

The agent technology provides a new way to design and engineer control solutions based on the decentralization of control over distributed structures, addressing the current requirements for modern control systems in industrial domains. This paper presents the current situation of the development and deployment of agent technology, discussing the initiatives and the current trends faced for a wider dissemination and industrial adoption, based on the work that is being carried out by the IEEE IES Technical Committee on Industrial Agents