Manufacturing will change byleaps and bounds over the next 2decades due to advances in artificialintelligence and Internet connectivityrates. Productivity can already bemeasured from distance locations overthe Internet and wireless communicationshave the ability to provideincreased access. Wireless communicationwill eliminate wired operationsonce a backward compatible standardis created and implemented worldwide.
We must begin preparing today inorder to be ready for the future.Manufacturers must begin purchasingupdated machinery with embeddedtechnology and acquiring software forinterfacing machines and the Internet.Educators must return to the basicswith real-world application of acquiredknowledge to prepare people tofunction in the factory of the future.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
People
Highly skilled operators will be critical in the automated factory of the future. People will continue managing production and performing complex maintenance on equipment to allow
peak operation. Employee responsibilities will consist mainly of supervision as opposed to completing manufacturing tasks. Academia must collaborate with manufacturers to prepare students for current and projected technology requirements within industry by emphasizing skills application to produce an adaptive workforce. Preparation requires learning situations that
utilize today’s technology to acquire knowledge and complete application projects resulting in workers prepared to access the factory of the future from remote sites without trepidation.
peak operation. Employee responsibilities will consist mainly of supervision as opposed to completing manufacturing tasks. Academia must collaborate with manufacturers to prepare students for current and projected technology requirements within industry by emphasizing skills application to produce an adaptive workforce. Preparation requires learning situations that
utilize today’s technology to acquire knowledge and complete application projects resulting in workers prepared to access the factory of the future from remote sites without trepidation.
Required Components
Computer hardware and softwareat the remote site can be any computerwith a web browser. Computer hardwareat the controlled machine sitemust be rugged and reliable. Controlactuators, measurement sensors, safetyswitches, and fast communicationequipment will also be required.Software at the controlled machine sitemust have flexible, well-designedcontrolling and communicationcapability.
Benefits
The benefits of artificial intelligencein manufacturing devicescombined with Internet connectivityare emerging on a continual basis.Embedded Internet working productsenable existing CNC to communicateover an Ethernet network providingreal-time manufacturing information.Video over IP technology allows usersto remotely monitor the productionprocess by allowing the computernetwork to function as a video networkallowing real-time pictures to beviewed on any PC. This technologyalso allows rewinding, pausing, andreplaying of video.
Continuous operation, breakdownavoidance, and remote control ofdistant factories are three of the chiefbenefits of remote monitoring with automated reasoning devices on plantfloors and Internet connectivity.
Continuous operation, breakdownavoidance, and remote control ofdistant factories are three of the chiefbenefits of remote monitoring with automated reasoning devices on plantfloors and Internet connectivity.
Today’s Applications
Texaco has four 3-D Visualization Centers and Giselle Smith (1999) reported on the Houston center. Geologists and geophysicists use the facility to analyze seismic data and predict oil well placement more accurately. Facilities like Texaco’s have the potential to dramatically reduce the
number of low or non-producing wells drilled. The 3-D visualization technology allows information to be processed in 1 day instead of 2 weeks dramatically decreasing the time from data collection to projection. Most 3-D visualization centers use Silicon Graphics computers, but there is no industry standard for software.
Peter Burrows (2001) states that Colgate-Palmolive Co. has installed SAP corporate software to allow the company to have a real-time direct connection to cash registers at Wal-Mart Stores and Kmart. The software allows production rates to be modified immediately based on real-time sales monitoring. The company only ships
products the stores are selling.
Unifi Inc. company headquarters is located in Greensboro, NC and all factory equipment in its 22 locations is accessible from headquarters. Customers may access data through the company’s web site.
number of low or non-producing wells drilled. The 3-D visualization technology allows information to be processed in 1 day instead of 2 weeks dramatically decreasing the time from data collection to projection. Most 3-D visualization centers use Silicon Graphics computers, but there is no industry standard for software.
Peter Burrows (2001) states that Colgate-Palmolive Co. has installed SAP corporate software to allow the company to have a real-time direct connection to cash registers at Wal-Mart Stores and Kmart. The software allows production rates to be modified immediately based on real-time sales monitoring. The company only ships
products the stores are selling.
Unifi Inc. company headquarters is located in Greensboro, NC and all factory equipment in its 22 locations is accessible from headquarters. Customers may access data through the company’s web site.
Projection
Web-enabled machines on thefactory floor will control industrialInternet communication in the future.Factories will be refurbished and moreefficient than today’s resulting in asmaller and more effective staffingstandard. The Internet will allow fast,efficient, reliable communicationresulting in increased productivity andsafety. Installation of wireless systemswill create greater flexibility andeliminate episodes of extended downtimerequired for wired systems whentroubleshooting. Wireless applicationswill also allow greater worker mobility.The manager of the future will be ableto access process information at alltimes resulting in the ability to addressdeviations in productions in real-time.
Internet based solutions
Manufacturers are already incorporatingsupport for Internet manufacturing.Solutions range from software fordetermining customer purchasingneeds to monitoring and controllingproduction from remote locations.“The advent of the Internet has foreverchanged the structure of the supplychain … Today, the Internet enablesseveral suppliers to chime in on anorder, allowing them to compete for acontract in cyberspace” (Haren, 2000).Implementation of an e-supply chainrequires full integration of supplycomponents with Internet componentsaccording to Haren (2000). Haren’ssoftware company, ILOG, providessoftware solutions that include webbasedpurchasing and support for theInternet human interface.
The US-Japan Center at VanderbiltUniversity has created a VirtualManufacturing Village (VMV) consistingof researchers and practitionerswho develop manufacturing conceptsin an on-line community. Some of theareas they have focused on are intelligentmanufacturing, environmentallyconscious design and manufacturing,and remote manufacturing systems.
The US-Japan Center at VanderbiltUniversity has created a VirtualManufacturing Village (VMV) consistingof researchers and practitionerswho develop manufacturing conceptsin an on-line community. Some of theareas they have focused on are intelligentmanufacturing, environmentallyconscious design and manufacturing,and remote manufacturing systems.
The Internet
To accomplish e-production the Internet must be looked upon as a working tool on the factory floor, instead of a selling tool according to Lance Gordon (2000). The Internet is an information accessing tool that will allow manufacturers to access production machines remotely in real-time. In the article, “The Cyber Factory: A Web of Intelligent Machines” the author states that the most important development in communications technology will be simplified and standardized interfaces between machines and humans. The low cost and world coverage of the Internet allows a cost effective method for remotely monitoring machine status and allowing the
user to analyze machine processes and implement corrections at any time. Using networked intelligent devices on the factory floor provides the advantages of minimum cost, optimum
competency, equipment sharing, and real-time organization of production.
user to analyze machine processes and implement corrections at any time. Using networked intelligent devices on the factory floor provides the advantages of minimum cost, optimum
competency, equipment sharing, and real-time organization of production.
Implementing Artificial Intelligence
The firststep for implementing automation inmanufacturing is to acquire employeescapable of executing plans, analyzingproblems, and formulating and implementingsolutions. Highly educated,dedicated employees reduce manufacturingoverhead allowing function integration to be emphasized. Headquartersstaff placed in geographicallyseparated factories must be instantlyavailable to others within the company.The final step of implementation ismaintaining focus on the core skillsand knowledge required to create valuefor customers. Meeting these challengeswill result in a manufacturingprocess that will be accomplished inhouseand by outsourcing elements ofproduction outside of themanufacturer’s core skills allowingcollaboration with suppliers to yield aseamless, integrated virtual factory.
Melnyk and Martin’s (1995) responseto these implementation steps is newcategories of software. Groupware issoftware allowing different people locatedin different places to work together.Visually oriented simulation packagesallow the user to build a visual representationof a factory on the computer screenthat can be animated for testing joboperations. Business processreengineering packages document andanalyze business processes and result inthe identification of redundancies. Theseare just a few examples of the softwaresolutions available for automated reasoning.Software solutions are expandingexponentially and will allow full automationof factories in the near future.
Melnyk and Martin’s (1995) responseto these implementation steps is newcategories of software. Groupware issoftware allowing different people locatedin different places to work together.Visually oriented simulation packagesallow the user to build a visual representationof a factory on the computer screenthat can be animated for testing joboperations. Business processreengineering packages document andanalyze business processes and result inthe identification of redundancies. Theseare just a few examples of the softwaresolutions available for automated reasoning.Software solutions are expandingexponentially and will allow full automationof factories in the near future.
Connectivity example
The product line of e-ManufacturingNetworks Inc. (2001) provides asuite of shop floor connectivity solutionsdesigned to optimize informationflow from the factory floor and CNCcontrolled machines. Their productsinclude an open architecture platformto provide communication betweenCNCs and from CNCs to managementby directly accessing operationalinformation from machines on the floorthrough hardware and software upgradesproviding Internet capabilitiesfor each machine tool.
E-Manufacturing contends thatmachine monitoring should providetimely information to managers,maintenance workers, and operatorsenabling effective productivity decisionsto be rapidly to meet higherproduction requirements. Machinemonitoring is provided by software andbrowser-based reports. During softwaremonitoring information is automaticallycollected at the CNC, forwardedto the server, and saved in an SQLdatabase. Routine data is readilyavailable to programs capable of SQLdatabase calls. Data indicating criticalproblems immediately triggers email orpager notification.
Browser-based reports are createdfor non-critical notification and can bedistributed as appropriate. Browserreports can be accessed from anywherein the world providing less downtimeand higher productivity as events occurthat managers need to be aware ofduring travel.
E-Manufacturing contends thatmachine monitoring should providetimely information to managers,maintenance workers, and operatorsenabling effective productivity decisionsto be rapidly to meet higherproduction requirements. Machinemonitoring is provided by software andbrowser-based reports. During softwaremonitoring information is automaticallycollected at the CNC, forwardedto the server, and saved in an SQLdatabase. Routine data is readilyavailable to programs capable of SQLdatabase calls. Data indicating criticalproblems immediately triggers email orpager notification.
Browser-based reports are createdfor non-critical notification and can bedistributed as appropriate. Browserreports can be accessed from anywherein the world providing less downtimeand higher productivity as events occurthat managers need to be aware ofduring travel.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial Intelligence or automated reasoning is the next step towards implementing more efficient factories. “ … AMR Research Inc. in Boston estimates that 40% of all new manufacturing- related software now incorporates some form of AI” (Port, 2000). In
the near-distant future all manufacturing will become digitized. Supply chains are already converting software to “smart modules” that communicate with each other. Embedded web servers are in many new devices purchased for plant operations allowing machinery to relay data to computers on the Internet. Collaboration will allow manufacturers to respond to initial customer reactions to products and increase service levels.
The “lights out factory” is a longterm goal of factory automation proponents. Port (2001) found that the newest machine tools from Milacron Inc. have “learning engines” and Gensym Corp. has software neural networks capable of comprehending intricate manufacturing procedures. Future factory production will be substantially efficient due to the inherent speed of new programs and machine tools. Today’s manufacturers need to examine and update factory applications to be competitive with future factories.
the near-distant future all manufacturing will become digitized. Supply chains are already converting software to “smart modules” that communicate with each other. Embedded web servers are in many new devices purchased for plant operations allowing machinery to relay data to computers on the Internet. Collaboration will allow manufacturers to respond to initial customer reactions to products and increase service levels.
The “lights out factory” is a longterm goal of factory automation proponents. Port (2001) found that the newest machine tools from Milacron Inc. have “learning engines” and Gensym Corp. has software neural networks capable of comprehending intricate manufacturing procedures. Future factory production will be substantially efficient due to the inherent speed of new programs and machine tools. Today’s manufacturers need to examine and update factory applications to be competitive with future factories.
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Internet
Factory operations will change significantly during the next 10-20 years due to advances in artificial intelligence and the Internet. Artificial Intelligence will place machines capable of automatic reasoning on factory floors providing instantaneous solutions to manufacturing problems during the production process. As older machines are replaced with internetready
tools the machines will be capable of reporting production information to managers and
maintainers through the Internet. Current developments and technological forecasts indicate that machinecontrolled operation and machine to person communication is a reliable and
tangible expectation.
Will manufacturers be ready for the future? Yes, if they begin preparing today. Manufacturers will require reliable computer hardware and software on the factory floor and up-todate
communications equipment with Internet access. Highly skilled employees will be a critical requirement in all factories and recruitment and training of operators should begin now! Upgrading and replacing manufacturing equipment, computer hardware and software, and Internet capabilities should be pursued today. Waiting to upgrade will lead to production failure
and loss of competitiveness.
tools the machines will be capable of reporting production information to managers and
maintainers through the Internet. Current developments and technological forecasts indicate that machinecontrolled operation and machine to person communication is a reliable and
tangible expectation.
Will manufacturers be ready for the future? Yes, if they begin preparing today. Manufacturers will require reliable computer hardware and software on the factory floor and up-todate
communications equipment with Internet access. Highly skilled employees will be a critical requirement in all factories and recruitment and training of operators should begin now! Upgrading and replacing manufacturing equipment, computer hardware and software, and Internet capabilities should be pursued today. Waiting to upgrade will lead to production failure
and loss of competitiveness.
Thursday, March 1, 2007
History of artificial intelligence
The quest for artificial intelligence has made steady progress since at least the 1950s. Progress is due to some combination of finding new algorithms, improving our understanding of the nature of intelligence, and external factors such as increased computer power or progress made in other disciplines such as logic, mathematics, programming languages or statistics.
Humans have always speculated about the nature of mind, thought, and language, and searched for discrete representations of their knowledge. Aristotle tried to formalize this speculation by means of syllogistic logic, which remains one of the key strategies of AI. The first is-a hierarchy was created in 260 by Porphyry of Tyros. Classical and medieval grammarians explored more subtle features of language that Aristotle shortchanged. In the 13th century Ramon Llull was the first to build 'machines' that used logical means to produce knowledge. The mathematician Bernard Bolzano made the first modern attempt to formalize semantics in 1837.
Early computer design was driven mainly by the complex mathematics needed to target weapons accurately, with analog feedback devices inspiring an ideal of cybernetics. The expression "artificial intelligence" was introduced as a 'digital' replacement for the analog 'cybernetics'.
Humans have always speculated about the nature of mind, thought, and language, and searched for discrete representations of their knowledge. Aristotle tried to formalize this speculation by means of syllogistic logic, which remains one of the key strategies of AI. The first is-a hierarchy was created in 260 by Porphyry of Tyros. Classical and medieval grammarians explored more subtle features of language that Aristotle shortchanged. In the 13th century Ramon Llull was the first to build 'machines' that used logical means to produce knowledge. The mathematician Bernard Bolzano made the first modern attempt to formalize semantics in 1837.
Early computer design was driven mainly by the complex mathematics needed to target weapons accurately, with analog feedback devices inspiring an ideal of cybernetics. The expression "artificial intelligence" was introduced as a 'digital' replacement for the analog 'cybernetics'.
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