Through the use of rapid prototyping it is possible to move directly from a computer design to a nal physical product without human intervention. Telemanufacturing is an extension to rapid prototyping that presents a data communications based interface to rapid prototyping. Resource negotiating agents are able to provide a completely autonomous negotiation process. By integrating resource negotiating agents into a telemanufacturing environment, an opportunity for a completely automated supply chain is presented. / Prof. E.M. Ehlers

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Presently there is a trend in manufacturing system design from stand-alone, automatic operations to Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM). The success of the integration depends largely on the performance of system control software. This document presents research in the design and implementation of a shop control system, for a CIM facility, using a new method called the three-layer integrated approach. Two basic techniques used in this research are expert systems and object-oriented programming. The CIM system at VPI is an automated manufacturing and assembly system. In designing the control system for this CIM facility, the design of products, production facilities, and overall system must be taken into account. In order to manage this complex system, a control system called the “shop controller” has been developed using C++, an object-oriented programming language. In addition, three real-time simulators for the cell controllers have been developed for testing and debugging the production rules of the expert system. The basic approach taken for the shop control system has several advantages: applied intelligence, program efficiency, reusability of code, and ease of maintenance. Moreover, this approach has a new feature—modularity, which is the result of combining expert systems and object-oriented programming. / Master of Science

This paper presents a hierarchical modeling method that can be used to simulate a Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) at all levels of detail. The method was developed specifically to aid the software development needed for the hierarchy of computers that are present in an FMS. The method was developed by modeling an existing FMS. The models developed of the existing FMS are described in detail to provide an example of how to model other FMSs. The basic building blocks needed for designing other FMSs with this modeling method are provided. The models were written in the SIMAN simulation language. SIMAN was found to be an easy language to use for the hierarchical modeling of FMSs. / M.S.

Thesis (M. Tech.) -- Central University of Technology, Free State, 2007 / With technology advancing, more and more people turn to the World Wide Web to conduct business. This may include buying and selling on the Web, advertising and monitoring of business activities. There is a big need for software and systems that enable remote monitoring and controlling of business activities. The Mechatronics Research Group of the Faculty of Engineering, Information and Communication Technology at the Central University of Technology, Free State, has identified a similar need. This research group has created an Automated Manufacturing System around which research topics revolve. They want to monitor this Automated Manufacturing System from remote locations like their offices or, if possible, from home. The Remote Information Management (RIM) System was developed, using the Rapid Application Development (RAD) Methodology. The reasons why this methodology was used, is because it is the best to use in a changing environment, when the system needs to be developed very quickly and when most of the data is already available. This is a good description of the Automated Manufacturing System’s environment. The RAD methodology consists of four stages: Requirements Planning, User Design, Rapid Construction and Transition. Project Management is used throughout these stages to ensure that the project goes according to plan. Development of the RIM system went through all four stages and project management was applied. The final system consisted of a Web Page with Web Camera views of the Automated Manufacturing System. The application that was developed using National Instruments LabVIEW, Microsoft Visual C++, and Microsoft Excel, is embedded in this Web Page. This application is called a Virtual Instrument (VI). The VI shows real-time data from the Automated Manufacturing System. Control over the VI can be granted and will allow the remote user to create reports on how many different products was produced and system downtimes. A system like the RIM System has advantages in the business world. It can enable telecommuting and will allow employees and managers to monitor (and even control) manufacturing systems, or any system connected to a PLC, from remote locations.

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The thesis evaluates control strategies for reconfigurable manufacturing systems by using a welding assembly cell as a case study. The cell consists of a pallet magazine, conveyor, feeder subsystem (comprising an articulated robot and singulation unit), welder subsystem (which uses a modular Cartesian robot), and inspection and removal subsystems. The research focuses on control strategies that enhance reconfigurability in terms of structure, hardware and software using agent-based control and the IEC 61499 standard, based on PC control. Reconfiguration may occur when a new product is introduced, as well as when a new subsystem is introduced or removed from the production cell. The overall control architecture is that the subsystems retain no knowledge of the product, but product information resides in the cell controller, while services offered by the subsystems are registered with the directory facilitator of the Java agent platform. The control strategies are implemented on the modular Cartesian weld robot and the cell controller for assembly cell. A layered architecture with low-level control and high-level control is used to allow separation of concerns and rapid changes in both hardware and software components. The low-level control responds in hard real-time to internal and external events, while the high-level control handles soft real-time actions involving coordination of control related issues. The results showed IEC 61499 function blocks to be better suited to low-level control application in distributed systems, while agents are more suited for high-level control. Modularity in software components enhances hardware and software scalability. Additionally, agents can support online reconfiguration of reconfigurable machines. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die tesis evalueer beheerstrategieë vir herkonfigureerbare vervaardigingstelsels deur gebruik te maak van ’n sweismonteersel as ’n gevallestudie. Die sel bestaan uit ’n palletmagasyn, vervoerbande, voersubstelsel (bestaande uit ’n geartikuleerde robot en singulasie-eenheid), sweissubstelsel (wat gebruik maak van ’n modulêre Cartesiese robot), en inspeksie- en verwyderingsubstelsels. Die navorsing fokus op beheerstrategieë wat herkonfigureerbaarheid verhoog in terme van struktuur, hardeware en sagteware met behulp van agent-gebaseerde beheer en die IEC 61499 standaard, wat gebaseer is op PC-beheer. Herkonfigurasie mag voorkom wanneer ’n nuwe produk in-gestel word, sowel as wanneeer ’n nuwe substelsel bygevoeg of verwyder word van die produksiesel. Die oorhoofse beheerargitektuur is dat die substelsels geen kennis van die produk hou nie, maar die produkinligting in die selbeheerder geberg, terwyl dienste wat aangebied word deur die substelsels wat geregistreer is by die gidsfasiliteerder van die Java agent platform. Die beheerstrategië is geïmplementeer op die modulere Cartesiese sweisrobot en die selbeheerder vir die monteersel. ’n Gelaagde argitektuur met ’n lae-vlak beheer en hoë-vlak beheer word gebruik om skeiding van oorwegings en vinnige veranderinge in beide hardeware en sagteware komponente toe te laat. Die lae-vlak beheer reageer hard intyds op interne en eksterne gebeure, terwyl die hoë-vlak beheer sag intyds die koördinering van beheerverwante kwessies hanteer. Die resultate het getoon dat IEC 61499 funksie-blokke beter geskik is vir lae-vlak beheer toepassing in verspreide stelsels, terwyl agente meer geskik is vir hoë-vlak beheer. Modulariteit in sagteware komponente verhoog hardeware en sagteware skaleerbaarheid. Boonop kan agente ook aanlyn herkonfigurasie van herkonfigureerbare masjiene ondersteun.