Modeling human-machine interaction in production systems for equipment design

A production system design decomposition is applied to the synthesis of a supervisory control based human-machine interaction (HMI) model that characterizes the performance in a manufacturing work-cell and satisfies the goals of a production enterprise. The model specifies and describes the behavioral roles that an operator assumes as a supervisor of multiple semi-automated production processes. The model captures the functional human-machine interaction that enables process control and continuous improvement to the manufacturing process. A model of HMI is useful for designing production subsystems, particularly the design of manufacturing equipment, which determines the human-machine interaction in a cell and thus directly impacts the system's performance. The HMI model is related to the equipment design process to demonstrate how the design of cellular manufacturing equipment is aided by such a model. The HMI model is shown to be a computational aid for design decisions that involve generating functional requirements for an axiomatic design based equipment design methodology. Thesis Supervisor: David S. Cochran Title: Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering