Factories of the future must be capable to adapt themselves to continuously changing market demand. Therefore new manufacturing technologies are needed: from agile operating machines up to internet based services. In particular, new advanced automation solutions, that integrate all factory levels in a unique real time framework, are mandatory. Nowadays, neither accepted standards nor assessed development methodologies and software environments are available to support industries when facing such a crucial issue. In the present contribution an open and modular automation system architecture is proposed, based on emerging modelling paradigms and recent international standards. Furthermore, a methodology to develop self-adaptive factory automation solutions is illustrated, using a novel modular simulation based method to verify digitally - through a modular bottom up approach - the correctness of real size automation systems. The proposed framework has been applied to a highly innovative reconfigurable factory for personalised shoes production. Such a real-size industrial application proves the effectiveness and the benefits of the presented methods for the development of complex automation solutions for high value added production systems.
Advanced automation solutions for future adaptive factories
Carpanzano E;
2007
Abstract
Factories of the future must be capable to adapt themselves to continuously changing market demand. Therefore new manufacturing technologies are needed: from agile operating machines up to internet based services. In particular, new advanced automation solutions, that integrate all factory levels in a unique real time framework, are mandatory. Nowadays, neither accepted standards nor assessed development methodologies and software environments are available to support industries when facing such a crucial issue. In the present contribution an open and modular automation system architecture is proposed, based on emerging modelling paradigms and recent international standards. Furthermore, a methodology to develop self-adaptive factory automation solutions is illustrated, using a novel modular simulation based method to verify digitally - through a modular bottom up approach - the correctness of real size automation systems. The proposed framework has been applied to a highly innovative reconfigurable factory for personalised shoes production. Such a real-size industrial application proves the effectiveness and the benefits of the presented methods for the development of complex automation solutions for high value added production systems.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.