Dynamic manufacturing scheduling using both functional and resource related agents

Manufacturing scheduling is a difficult problem, particularly when it takes place in an open and dynamic environment. Agent-based technology has recently been used in attempts to resolve this problem. A bidding mechanism based on Contract Net protocol is often proposed as a key solution component. Our approach is to use both functional and physical resource related agents, and combine a bidding mechanism based on Contract Net protocol with a mediation mechanism based on Mediator architecture for realizing dynamic manufacturing scheduling and rescheduling. A machine-centered scheduling mechanism and related concepts and mechanisms are described, and a prototype implementation is presented.

[1]  Khalid Kouiss,et al.  Using multi-agent architecture in FMS for dynamic scheduling , 1997, J. Intell. Manuf..

[2]  Michael J. Shaw,et al.  Dynamic scheduling in cellular manufacturing systems: A framework for networked decision making , 1988 .

[3]  James J. Solberg,et al.  INTEGRATED SHOP FLOOR CONTROL USING AUTONOMOUS AGENTS , 1992 .

[4]  Reid G. Smith,et al.  The Contract Net Protocol: High-Level Communication and Control in a Distributed Problem Solver , 1980, IEEE Transactions on Computers.

[5]  Weiming Shen,et al.  DIDE: A Multi-Agent Environment for Engineering Design , 1995, ICMAS.

[6]  K. Sycara,et al.  Distributed Problem Solving through Coordination in a Society of Agents , 1994 .

[7]  Brian R. Gaines,et al.  Mediator: an intelligent information system supporting the virtual manufacturing enterprise , 1995, 1995 IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man and Cybernetics. Intelligent Systems for the 21st Century.

[8]  David E. Goldberg,et al.  Genetic Algorithms in Search Optimization and Machine Learning , 1988 .

[9]  Michael Jeng-Ping Shaw.  Distributed Planning In Cellular Flexible Manufacturing Systems , 1987 .

[10]  Douglas H. Norrie,et al.  Multi-Agent Planning and Coordination for Distributed Concurrent Engineering , 1996, Int. J. Cooperative Inf. Syst..

[11]  Timothy W. Finin,et al.  KQML as an agent communication language , 1994, CIKM '94.

[12]  Carlos Ramos,et al.  A dynamic scheduling holon for manufacturing orders , 1998, J. Intell. Manuf..

[13]  Michael P. Wellman,et al.  Some Issues in the Design of Market-Oriented Agents , 1995, ATAL.

[14]  Weiming Shen,et al.  MetaMorph: An adaptive agent-based architecture for intelligent manufacturing , 1999 .

[15]  Leslie D. Interrante,et al.  Active Rescheduling and Collaboration in Dynamic Manufacturing Systems , 1994 .

[16]  Katia P. Sycara,et al.  Exploiting Problem Structure for Distributed Constraint Optimization , 1995, ICMAS.

[17]  Mark S. Fox,et al.  Intelligent Scheduling , 1998 .

[18]  D. E. Goldberg,et al.  Genetic Algorithms in Search , 1989 .

[19]  Norman M. Sadeh,et al.  Resource allocation in distributed factory scheduling , 1991, IEEE Expert.

[20]  H. V. Parunak.  Chapter 10 – Manufacturing Experience with the Contract Net , 1987 .

[21]  H. Van Dyke Parunak,et al.  The AARIA agent architecture: an example of requirements-driven agent-based system design , 1997, AGENTS '97.

[22]  Neil A. Duffie,et al.  Nonhierarchical control of manufacturing systems , 1986 .

[23]  C. D. Gelatt,et al.  Optimization by Simulated Annealing , 1983, Science.

[24]  Albert D. Baker,et al.  Manufacturing control with a market-driven contract net , 1992 .

[25]  Victor R. Lesser,et al.  Issues in Automated Negotiation and Electronic Commerce: Extending the Contract Net Framework , 1997, ICMAS.