Jo Wyns

Pheromone based emergent shop floor control system for flexible flow shops

Abstract New approaches for the development of shop floor control systems are needed to introduce better response to unanticipated disturbance situations and a better handling of ‘reconfiguration’ in production environments. In this paper, a development approach for agent-based shop floor control systems is presented, that uses co-ordination concepts as observable in insect colonies. In this scheme, agents operate within an information distribution environment, where information is made available in the form of ‘artificial pheromones’. Pheromone concepts from insect colonies and their mapping into a control system architecture are presented, a test bed implementation is discussed.

IMS Test Case 5: Holonic Manufacturing Systems

Abstract This paper surveys the activities and results of the IMS test case entitled: ‘Holonic Manufacturing Systems.’ This one-year project covers a wide range of manufacturing systems, encompassing discrete, continuous and/or batch processing. It puts forward a new paradigm for manufacturing: the holonic manufacturing system. In addition, benchmark results are presented in this paper.

Architectural and System Design Issues in Holonic Manufacturing Systems

Abstract This paper describes research based on the HMS or Holonic Manufacturing Systems concept, which was elaborated in the IMS Test Case N° 5. First, the paper discusses the HMS paradigm. Second, it presents a number of fundamental properties of complex adaptive systems. Third, examples demonstrate how the insights of the previous section have an impact on the design and architecture of distributed manufacturing systems and their components.

HMS — Holonic Manufacturing Systems Test Case (IMS Project)

This paper surveys the activities and results of the IMS test case entitled: ‘Holonic Manufacturing Systems: System Components of Autonomous Modules and their Distributed Control.’ This one-year project (1993) covers a wide range of manufacturing systems, encompassing discrete, continuous and/or batch processing. It puts forward a new paradigm for manufacturing: the holonic manufacturing system.

Holonic manufacturing control systems : architecture and methodology

Abstract This paper presents ongoing research on Holonic Manufacturing Control at the PMA division of the K.U.Leuven. First, it introduces the concept of a Holonic System. Next, it describes the Holonic Manufacturing Control Architecture. Finally, the paper addresses the system development methodology