Bernhard Solf

Integrated manufacturing modeling system

The objective of the Integrated Manufacturing Modeling System (IMMS) project was to build a generic software package for manufacturing modeling. The package allows interactive model building, testing, and experimentation. IMMS integrates the fundamental components of modeling, namely system description, data acquisition and management, graphic input and output, and performance simulation. The fundamental idea is to describe the flow of information, materials, and resources by using parametric standard model building blocks. Inputting is done by placing function symbols on a graphic screen and by filling in blanks for parameter data. The output includes all common performance measures, such as utilization and work in process (WIP), in graphic form. The simulation language used to implement the model building blocks is RESQ2. The Integrated Manufacturing Modeling System combines the advantage of simulation modeling with the advantages of end user programming capability. Simulation results allow intelligent decision making based on analysis (instead of intuitive experience), and an end user package reduces the turnaround time for modeling and eliminates the need for specialized programming skill. All this translates into faster and better-quality manufacturing system design and operation.

Automatic reading of part numbers

Abstract For reliable machine recognition of man-readable part numbers, an encoding technique known as theta-modulation is used. Each of the characters to be read is modulated by a grating with a specific angular orientation θ. Ten alpha-numeric characters are encoded by consecutive grids separated by 18°. The numerals are decoded by evaluating the diffraction patterns of the grid-encoded digits. The orientation of the diffraction pattern is detected by an array of segmented photo-detectors. This part number reading technique is invariant against translations and was successfully applied to parts with perfectly polished or with coarse surfaces.