Architectural And SystemDesign Issues In Holonic Manufacturing Systems

Abstract

: This paper describes research based on the HMS or Holonic Manufacturing Systems concept, which was elaborated in the IMS Test Case N° 5. First, the paper discusses the HMS paradigm. Second, it presents a number of fundamental properties of complex adaptive systems. Third, examples demonstrate how the insights of the previous section have an impact on the design and architecture of distributed manufacturing systems and their components. Keywords: Computer-integrated manufacturing, Complex systems, Co-operation, Flexible manufacturing systems, System architectures, Systems concepts, Systems design. 1. INTRODUCTION This manuscript describes research based on the HMS or Holonic Manufacturing Systems concept, which was elaborated in the IMS Test Case N° 5 (Valckenaers et al., 1994). The roots of the HMS concept are insights provided by Koestler (1989) in the nature of real-life complex adaptive systems. Waldrop (1992) depicts a set of other research results on complex adaptive systems. Af..