Frank Riddick

The IMS MISSION architecture for distributed manufacturing simulation

This paper presents an overview of a neutral reference architecture for integrating distributed manufacturing simulation systems with each other, with other manufacturing software applications, and with manufacturing data repositories. Other manufacturing software applications include, but are not limited to systems used to: design products; specify processes; engineer manufacturing systems; and manage production. The architecture identifies the software building blocks and interfaces that will facilitate the integration of distributed simulation systems and enable the integration of those systems with other manufacturing software applications. The architecture is being developed as part of the international Intelligent Manufacturing Systems (IMS) MISSION project.

A test implementation of the core manufacturing simulation data specification

This paper describes an effort of testing the Core Manufacturing Simulation Data (CMSD) information model as a neutral data interface for a discrete event simulation model developed using Enterprise Dynamics. The implementation is based upon a model of a paint shop at a Volvo Car Corporation plant in Sweden. The model is built for a Swedish research project (FACTS), which focuses on the work procedure of developing new and modified production systems. FACTS has found standardized simulation data structures to be of high interest to achieve efficient data collection in conceptual stages of production development programs. For the CMSD-development team, implementations serve as an approach to validate the structures in CMSD and to gather requirements for future enhancements. CMSD was originally developed to support job shops, but the results of this implementation indicate a good possibility to extend CMSD to also support flow shops.

An architecture for a generic data-driven machine shop simulator

Standard interfaces could help reduce the costs associated with simulation model construction and data exchange between simulation and other software applications - and thus make simulation technology more affordable and accessible to a wide range of potential industrial users. Currently, small machine shops do not typically use simulation technology because of various difficulties and obstacles associated with model development and data translation. This paper provides an overview of work currently underway at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop a software architecture, standard data interfaces, and a prototype generic machine shop simulator that can be readily reconfigured for use by a large number of small machine shops. It also reviews prior work in this area and describes future work.

Core Manufacturing Simulation Data-a manufacturing simulation integration standard: overview and case studies

Standard representations for information entities common to manufacturing simulation could help reduce the costs associated with simulation model construction and data exchange between simulation and other manufacturing applications. This would make simulation technology more affordable and accessible to a wide range of potential industrial users. To foster the more widespread use of manufacturing simulation technology through the reduction of data interoperability issues, the Core Manufacturing Simulation Data (CMSD) specification was created. CMSD is a standardised, computer-interpretable representation that allows for the efficient exchange of manufacturing shop floor-related data in a manner that it can be used in the creation and execution of manufacturing simulations. The work has being standardised under the auspices of the Simulation Interoperability Standards Organization (SISO). CMSD defines an information model that describes the characteristics of and relationships between the core manufacturing entities that define shop floor operations. This enables greater integration and data exchange possibilities for manufacturing simulations and other manufacturing applications. This article presents an overview of CMSD, its motivation, structure, and content. Descriptions of case studies using CMSD to integrate real world manufacturing applications are also presented.

Representing layout information in the CMSD specification

Developing mechanisms for the efficient exchange of information between simulations and other manufacturing tools is a critical problem. For many areas of manufacturing, neither representations for the information nor mechanisms for exchanging the information have been agreed upon. Manufacturing plant layout is one such area. The core manufacturing simulation data (CMSD) specification is being developed to address some of these issues, through the definition of neutral representations for the ¿core¿ manufacturing entities that need to be exchanged between simulations and other applications, through the creation of a Unified Modeling Language information model that defines the relationships between the core manufacturing entities, and through the definition of eXtensible Modeling Language Schemas based on the information model to facilitate the exchange of information that adheres to the model. This paper describes an effort to extend the CMSD specification to cover the definition and exchange of layout information.

Simulation system modeling for mass customization manufacturing

Emerging rapidly as a new paradigm of the 21st century, mass customization manufacturing (MCM) systems possess some special characteristics that make the modeling of such systems extremely difficult. These characteristics include concurrency, synchronization, and cooperation among subsystems. Moreover, MCM emphasizes shortened product life-cycles, which means production lines have to be changed or reconfigured frequently. Highly flexible and re-configurable factories must be designed, simulated, and analyzed. To support the development and analysis of these systems, new approaches to modeling and simulation must be developed. In this paper, a methodology for representing manufacturing systems using a valid, colored Petri net is presented. This method for modeling and simulating is flexible enough to support the dynamic nature of the operation of MCM systems. It is able to represent solutions to problems such as dynamic rescheduling, shop reconfiguration, part rework processing, and mechanisms for recovery from machine failure. MCM systems must often support product design modifications at late stages of production, and must respond and adjust to these changes quickly, without postponing delivery time.

Enabling flexible manufacturing systems by using level of automation as design parameter

Handling flexibility in an ever changing manufacturing environment is one of the key challenges for a successful industry. By using tools for virtual manufacturing, industries can analyze and predict outcomes of changes before taking action to change the real manufacturing systems. This paper describes a simulation tool that can be used to study the effect of level of automation issues on the design of manufacturing systems, including their effect on the overall system performance, ergonomics, environment, and economic measures. Determining a suitable level of automation can provide a manufacturing system with the flexibility needed to respond to the unpredictable events that occur in factory systems such as machine failures, lack of quality, lack of materials, lack of resources, etc. In addition, this tool is designed to use emerging simulation standards, allowing it to provide a neutral interface for both upstream and downstream data sources.

Process analytics formalism for decision guidance in sustainable manufacturing

This paper introduces National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)’s Sustainable Process Analytics Formalism (SPAF) to facilitate the use of simulation and optimization technologies for decision support in sustainable manufacturing. SPAF allows formal modeling of modular, extensible, and reusable process components and enables sustainability performance prediction, what-if analysis, and decision optimization based on mathematical programming. SPAF models describe (1) process structure and resource flow, (2) process data, (3) control variables, and (4) computation of sustainability metrics, constraints, and objectives. This paper presents the SPAF syntax and formal semantics, provides a sound and complete algorithm to translate SPAF models into formal mathematical programming models, and illustrates the use of SPAF through a manufacturing process example.

Energy efficiency analysis for a casting production system

A growing number of manufacturing industries are initiating efforts to address sustainability issues. A study by the National Association of Manufacturers indicated that the manufacturing sector currently accounts for over a third of all energy consumed in the United States. There are many areas and opportunities to reduce energy costs and pollution emissions within a manufacturing facility. One way to achieve an energy efficient manufacturing system is to measure and evaluate the combined impact of process energy from manufacturing operations, their resources (e.g., plant floor equipment), and facility energy from building services (e.g., ventilation, lighting). In this paper, issues associated with integrating production system, process energy, and facility energy to improve manufacturing sustainability are explored. A modeling and simulation case study of analyzing energy consumption in a precision casting operation is discussed.

Distributed simulation for interoperability testing along the supply chain

The need for interoperability of information systems among supply chain partners has been recognized. A number of standards have been or are being developed to ensure interoperability of applications used along the supply chain. An associated need for interoperability testing has emerged. There is a need to evaluate compliance of applications to standards across specific platforms. The standards themselves need to be evaluated for a comprehensive coverage of the application scope (validation testing). This paper reports on a distributed simulation based approach for supply chain interoperability testing. Simulations are used to represent real life organizations to serve as sources and consumers of dynamic data. The data can be encapsulated per the standard under consideration and exchanged with other organizations directly or through selected applications for testing. Error free performance of the simulated systems over time will provide confidence in the interoperability of applications and in the standards themselves.