The objective of this research is to develop a new ontology-based approach for the management and control of cyber-physical production systems (CPPSs). In the CPPSs, the management and control functions are integrated with a physical part of manufacturing system. The function of production planning and control of manufacturing systems (PPC) is an important part of the management and control of the CPPSs. The elements of the cyber system structure enable the dynamic management and control of manufacturing systems in real time, through the realization of the digitalized and cybernated functions of PPC. The proposed approach to management and control of the CPPSs is based on the foundational ontology of manufacturing systems. The digitalized production planning, scheduling, and control functions are implemented as a multi-agent system (MAS). The communication between agents was addressed to support the autonomic decision for each individual agent. A case study demonstrates feasibility of the approach through the use of simulation experiments.
TopIntroduction
In the era of globalization, scientific discoveries and technological advancements, all of which significantly influence today’s manufacturing industries, it is time to rethink the way that industrial products are manufactured. A novel approach to industrial production is needed, one that would address the new challenges and circumstances arising from escalating uncertainty, dynamism and complexity in an industry driven by turbulent markets, political, economic and societal conditions (Hozdić & Butala, 2020).
A new production philosophy that has recently emerged under the name of Industry 4.0 opens up a space for novel approaches to industrial production. Industry 4.0 (I4.0) is a new way of organizing and controlling complete value-adding systems (Bauernhansl, 2013). Industry 4.0 is driven by new scientific discoveries, enriched knowledge, new and better materials, and new technologies, especially in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT). In addition, novel organizational forms and the innovative managerial principles of emergence, self-organization, learning, open innovation, collaboration, and the networking of humans and organizations will become the key elements of the next generation of manufacturing systems (Hozdić, Kozjek, & Butala, 2020).
Modern manufacturing enterprises must be focused on agile, networked, service-oriented, green, and social manufacturing practices, among others (Tao, Cheng, Zhang, & Nee, 2017). However, in order to develop and implement these practices, a transformation of manufacturing systems from the traditionally isolated, hierarchical structures into open and distributed networked structures is needed. The foundations of this transformation are the three key enablers of I4.0: connectivity, digitalization and cybernation. One of the novel concepts arising from I4.0 is the so-called cyber-physical systems (CPSs) (Hozdić et al., 2020).
The CPS integrates computational and physical processes. In a CPS, embedded computers and networks monitor and control the physical processes, usually with feedback loops in which physical processes affect the computations and vice versa (Lee, 2008).
On this basis, a cyber-physical production system (CPPS) is defined as a system that uses CPS-related technology, including various electronic devices embedded in different pieces of equipment, which form a concurrent network of processing and communicating elements with the aim to increase the production system’s flexibility, adaptability and efficiency in a complex production environment (Monostori, 2014).
This research addresses the question of how a CPPS can contribute to the improved management, planning, scheduling, control and monitoring of manufacturing systems. It is expected that within CPPSs these functions will be reinforced through connectivity, digitalization and cybernation at different levels of the decision-making in an enterprise. This will enable the management and control of manufacturing systems in real-time.
The chapter introduces a new approach for the management and control of CPPSs in real time. The proposed approach to management and control is based on the foundational ontology of manufacturing systems. The underlying definitions of the terms and entities related to the production-planning and scheduling domain are given. A new approach to the management, planning, scheduling, control and monitoring of manufacturing systems that, is based on CPSs and a multi-agent system.