Radmehr P. Monfared

Distributed engineering of manufacturing machines

Abstract The specification and deployment of enterprise modelling and component-based system concepts to facilitate the distributed engineering of automotive manufacturing machines is reported in this paper. The main areas of research reported in the article cover (a) the design and prototype development of new forms of component-based engine assembly and transfer machines (b) life cycle engineering approaches that improve the change capability of component-based automotive machines and (c) the design and implementation of an engineering environment that enables distributed engineering teams to achieve (a) and (b). The concepts, approach and environment have been developed and are being formally assessed with reference to current practice within an ongoing engineering programme. A consortium of leading automotive companies is collaborating on the research project with the aim of producing a new range of engine products that will be used in various makes of vehicle around the globe.

Web services-based automation for the control and monitoring of production systems

Autonomous and intelligent control devices within the context of factory automation are seen as an essential ingredient in making time and cost savings in factory automation environments. In moving to mass customisation scenarios where production lines are subjected to frequent changes and mixed types of products, the agility and reconfigurability of automation systems are prime requirements to support changes in manufacturing lifecycles. In addition, intelligent functionalities including process monitoring, diagnostics and process reconfiguration are also desirable factors to facilitate an effective production unit with competitive costs and ease of use and maintenance. In this context, the adoption of Web Services on the distributed embedded control devices to enhance reconfigurability and integrability with supported manufacturing and business applications is proposed. This paper demonstrates the use of Web Services (WS) both in building device control functionality of control components and in business application integration. This WS approach offers the ability to integrate pervasive enterprise applications (e.g. process monitoring and planning systems) as well as the ability to reconfigure and manage lower level devices from higher manufacturing and business control levels through unifying WS interface and neutral Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) message communication between control systems and business applications.

An implementation of the business process modelling approach in the automotive industry

Abstract The development and application of a business process modelling approach to comprehend, formalize, simulate and assess a particular domain within the automotive industry are described in this paper. Within an ongoing project carried out by Loughborough University, the design and implementation of a new generation of component-based machine control systems are being investigated. As part of this project, impacts of business and technical aspects of the new control systems on existing practices are also being examined using enterprise modelling methods and tools. The modelling has been applied to the production and assembly of a machine for a new engine project in the automotive industry. The modelling approach has been based on the CIMOSA modelling architecture and complementary simulation and analysis tools, mainly ithink™ and Excel. The lessons learned from the implementation of the modelling approach and the assessment of the component-based machine control systems are also discussed in this paper. The criteria of this assessment were considered primarily as cost and time, although other factors that ultimately impact on the business processes are also discussed.

An approach to modelling dependencies linking engineering processes

Abstract A multiperspective modelling method is described that was developed and used to support an international consortium of businesses concerned with realizing automobile engine production on a global scale. The modelling method provides a capability of documenting, communicating and analysing various dependent aspects of multiple threads of engineering activities. Commercially available and specially developed computer modelling tools have been deployed to operationalize the method, and thereby to facilitate the design of dependent activity flows, the resourcing of activity flows by suitable human and technical systems and the control and management of workflows. The paper outlines requirements of the method, with reference to properties of engineering processes that needed to be modelled. A prime focus of attention was on engineering a new generation of component-based manufacturing lines suitable for the ‘mass customization’ of automotive engine products in production plants around the globe. Key features of the modelling framework are described, as are the stages of modelling and the associated use of proprietary modelling tools. Also provided are examples of models generated when using the method and tools.

SOA middleware and automation: Services, applications and architectures

The factory automation community is looking toward the devices profile for Web services (DPWS) set of Web service standards to provide a service orientated architecture (SOA) enablement of factory elements. This paper examines the issues surrounding the application and future development of DPWS on production line machines and their integration with distributed enterprise applications. Issues raised reflect the need for more development on defining a generic approach to Web Service architecture in automation and the ontologies that support it. The concept of an automation lifecycle is introduced to aid this development from a more holistic perspective.

Integration approach to virtual-driven discrete event simulation for manufacturing systems

Virtual engineering (VE) environment helps to verify process and resource design through visualisation. By using VE, the impacts of re-configurability and new-process additions in the machine stops can be viewed down to the component level. On the other hand, discrete event simulation (DES) typically forecasts the system behaviour over a period of time to predict future performance. During pre-build stages of machines, DES analysis comes with uncertainties, as most of the parameters in the model are based on the assumptions. Therefore, it was aimed to use the validated and verified data, for example ‘process time’ of a machine component available from the VE-emulated systems, in the DES model. Thus, a systematic algorithm was proposed to integrate the VE tool data, with the DES. This article presents the development of a package known as ‘virtual-driven discrete event simulation’ (VDSim), used to establish an integration between the VE and DES domains. The success of this integration depends upon the quality of information and the compatibility of data flow between these independent domains. VDSim integration will help productivity planners and schedulers to get the best possible options for resource selection at stages even when the resource is not physically present.

Energy optimisation in manufacturing systems using virtual engineering-driven discrete event simulation

Increasing the cost of electricity and the global obligations for efficient use of energy have added additional pressure to industrial companies in an already challenging market. Manufacturing companies are adopting methods to have a greater agility to respond quicker to the market dynamics and varying demands by changing production configurations. In recent years, deploying virtual engineering design approaches and extensive simulation methods have facilitated an early insight into how a system may perform, in advance of the physical build. However, the impact of system reconfiguration on the cost of energy consumption is typically unknown. Much research has been carried out on the development of new energy-efficient drives (e.g. motors and actuators) and also the possibility of turning off the drives when idle to save energy. However, in this article, the authors propose a new method of energy saving for engineering production lines by fine tuning the low level device motions to optimise energy consumption. An integration method between virtual engineering design and simulation modelling is proposed, and as a result a simulation method for energy optimisation is developed. In this article the method of interpreting virtual design data for use in simulation modelling of a production assembly line in an automotive industry is discussed. Furthermore, a developed algorithm for optimising energy usage based on adjusting dynamic properties of the system components (e.g. accelerations, torque and mass) is discussed and the result of implementing the concept in an experimental application in the powertrain industry is reported.

RI-MACS : an innovative approach for future automation systems

The European funded Radically Innovative Mechatronics and Advanced Control Systems (RI-MACS) research project was initiated to address some of the challenges in the future automation systems. Its mission is to bring the innovation offered by the Information Technology (IT) domain into the production life cycle, improving some of the existing inflexibilities in typical manufacturing automation plants. In this paper, some of the key aspects of automation systems engineering that require changes to ensure future competitiveness are highlighted. An overview of current approaches to automation are reviewed in relation to wired and wireless networking, automation architectures, and design environments.

Adding factory floor automation to digital ecosystems; tools, technology and transformation.

This paper presents research from the process definition tools implementation at Loughborough University, which is an automated manufacturing testbed that has been integrated into a service orientated architecture (SOA). The enablement of this SOA in terms of digital business ecosystem (DBE) research presents new applications to SMEpsilas that support, require and supply automated manufacturing systems. These new applications and characteristics in the context of digital ecosystem tools, technologies and general architectural changes are examined. In particular new opportunities in virtualisation of automation and integration at both lower and higher levels of distributed applications are presented in a transformed view of a DBE.

A new vision for the automation systems engineering for automotive powertrain assembly

Pressure on the powertrain sector of the automotive industry is mounting as market demand for higher variety and lower-cost automation systems increases. To maintain the market competitiveness, design-to-market time for new products should be significantly shorter and considerable cost saving needs to be made during the design and manufacture of production facilities. Virtual construction, test and validation of systems prior to build are now identified as crucial because engineering changes owing to untested designs cannot be afforded any longer, and approved designs need to be reused more efficiently. In this article, the authors report research collaboration between Loughborough University and Ford Motor Company, to improve the current business and engineering model used in the powertrain industry. The current problems are highlighted and corresponding industrial engineering requirements are specified. The existing end-user and supply-chain interaction models are captured and new business and engineering interaction models are proposed to address the requirements. A set of engineering services required for the new interaction models is described and an evaluation approach to identify the impact of the new model on the current enterprises is explained. In addition, an overview is given on the research findings on the predicted impacts on the current businesses based on a set of evaluation criteria.