Architectures for Human Worker Integration in Holonic Manufacturing Systems

When considering the needs of the manufacturing industry of a developing country, selectively automated holonic manufacturing systems could solve many of the problems that are faced. With selective automation, human workers must somehow be integrated with holonic manufacturing systems. This paper presents and compares two architectures for human integration in holonic systems, namely the Interface Holon Architecture (IHA) and the Worker Holon Architecture (WHA). These architectures, as well as their implementation and integration with the holonic control system of a testbed cell, are briefly described. The experimental setup for the evaluation of the architectures is described and the preliminary results of the evaluation are discussed. The results show that the WHA results in higher productivity, as well as enhanced flexibility and reconfigurability.

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