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2008 | Buch

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ANEMONA

A Mulit-agent Methodology for Holonic Manufacturing Systems

verfasst von: Vicente Botti, Adriana Giret

Verlag: Springer London

Buchreihe : Springer Series in Advanced Manufacturing

Enthalten in: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

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Über dieses Buch

ANEMONA is a multi-agent system (MAS) methodology for holonic manufacturing system (HMS) analysis and design. ANEMONA defines a mixed top-down and bottom-up development process, and provides HMS-specific guidelines to help designers identify and implement holons. The analysis phase is defined in two stages: System Requirements Analysis, and Holon Identification and Specification. This analysis provides high-level HMS specifications, adopting a top-down recursive approach which provides a set of elementary elements and assembling rules. The next stage is Holon Design, a bottom-up process to produce the system architecture from the analysis models. The Holons Implementation stage produces an Executable Code for the SetUp and Configuration stage. Finally, maintenances functions are executed in the Operation and Maintenance stage. The book will be of interest to researchers and students involved in artificial intelligence and software engineering, and manufacturing engineers in industry and academia.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter

Introduction

1. Introduction

Abstract

The manufacturing sector is currently facing a fundamental change from a seller’s market to a buyer’s market [1]. Competition on a national scale has intensified to a global arena [2], product life cycles have shrunk, and yet there is an escalating requirement to satisfy the specific and individual needs of customers. The success of a manufacturer is no longer measured by their ability to produce a single product cost effectively, but in terms of flexibility, agility and versatility. The changes in markets, customer requirements and technology have become the competition criteria. These rapid environmental changes have forced companies to improve their manufacturing performance in conditions of increasing uncertainty. In order to survive, manufacturing systems need to adapt themselves at an ever-increasing pace to incorporate new technology, new products, new organizational structures, etc.

Backgrounds

Frontmatter

2. Holonic Manufacturing Systems

Abstract

It is well known that manufacturing systems are complex, large-scale systems for a number of operational and structural reasons. This complexity makes such systems difficult to control and predict. Moreover, in order to meet the challenges of “new manufacturing” these systems will need to satisfy fundamental requirements such as [1, 4]: enterprise integration, distributed organization, heterogeneous environments, interoperability, open and dynamic structure, cooperation, integration of humans with software and hardware, agility, scalability, and fault tolerance.

3. Holons and Agents

Abstract

In this chapter we study the conceptual similarities between holons and agents. Despite these two modeling approaches being very similar, there are some peculiarities when analyzing their characteristics. In this chapter we review a study on every characteristic of holons and agents. The complete analysis can be found in [59]. Before analyzing the characteristics of agents and holons, we introduce the concepts of agent and multi-agent systems. Finally, we present the abstract agent notion as a modeling artifact for autonomous entities with recursive structures [60]. The abstract agent extends the traditional agent definition, adding a structural perspective to the agent concept: “... an abstract agent can be an agent; or it can be a MAS made up of abstract agents ...”.

Methodology for Holonic Manufacturing System

Frontmatter

4. HMS Development

Abstract

In this chapter we will discuss state-of-the-art techniques and methods for modeling manufacturing systems. Firstly, we will summarize the modeling requirements of the new generation of manufacturing systems. Then we will discuss the studies carried out in the areas of HMS, MAS and enterprise modeling, and conclude with a comparative overview of the different approaches.

5. ANEMONA Notation

Abstract

In this chapter we present the ANEMONA notation. The ANEMONA development process is presented in Chap. 6. ANEMONA is a MAS methodology for HMS analysis and design based on the abstract agent notion and HMS modeling requirements (Chap. 4). ANEMONA integrates features from HMS, MAS and enterprise modeling techniques [129, 130] (Chap. 4).

6. ANEMONA Development Process

Abstract

The development process of a methodology includes a description of the subsequent development steps, the different activities the engineer has to do, the guidelines that guide the engineer in the process, and the products that have to be obtained from the process. In this chapter we describe ANEMONA in terms of these elements. In order to do so in a standardized fashion we will use the SPEM notation [134] for the ANEMONA development process and its components. A short overview of SPEM is presented in Sect. 6.1. In the following sections we will use a simplified real-life case study from a supply chain scenario in order to illustrate the development process. This scenario is from an automotive, transport and service company that provides equipment parts to its dealers through a network of distribution centers. Section 6.2 presents the requirement specification of this case study. The ANEMONA development process deals with the HMS modeling requirements by means of the abstract agent notion of Chap. 3, the notation presented in Chap. 5, and the development guidelines presented in this chapter.

Evaluation and Case Study

Frontmatter

7. Evaluation of the ANEMONA Methodology

Abstract

The notation and the development process of the ANEMONA methodology for holonicmanufacturing systems usingmulti-agent system technology were presented in Chapters 5 and 6. The ANEMONA methodology, is appropriate for the domain of intelligent manufacturing systems and is sufficiently prescriptive for a software engineer with minimal training in multi-agent technology. To substantiate this claim, it would be necessary to perform a large series of industrial case studies with a significant number of software engineers. However, this is beyond the scope of this book because of the quantity of documentation generated, the amount of human resources needed, the investment in time and the very high cost of a complete life cycle of a real industrial case study.

8. Case Study

Abstract

In this chapter we present and develop a case study of a ceramic tile factory. The chapter is organized following the different phases of ANEMONA. Firstly, we present the requirements document of the case study (Sect. 8.1). In Sect. 8.2 the different products of the analysis stage are presented. The system architecture is designed in Sect. 8.3.

9. Conclusions

Abstract

This book presented ANEMONA a multi-agent methodology for holonic manufacturing systems (HMS). ANEMONA is a methodology based on HMS modeling requirements. Its central modeling element is the abstract agent notion with a mixed top-down and bottom-up process for HMS development.ANEMONAhelps the software engineer with clear and specific HMS modeling guidelines. This chapter concludes the book by reviewing its content and pointing to possible future works.

Backmatter

Titel: ANEMONA
verfasst von: Vicente Botti
Adriana Giret
Verlag: Springer London
Electronic ISBN: 978-1-84800-310-1
Print ISBN: 978-1-84800-309-5
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84800-310-1

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