Dynamic manufacturing scheduling using both functional and resource related agents

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Shen, Weiming^{; *} | Norrie, Douglas H.

Affiliations: Division of Manufacturing Engineering, The University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4. Tel.: +1 403 220 4165; Fax: +1 403 282 8406; E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author. Present address: NRC-IMTI, 800 Collip Circle, London, ON, Canada N6G 4X8. E-mail: [email protected].

Abstract: Manufacturing scheduling is a difficult problem, particularly when it takes place in an open and dynamic environment. Agent-based technology has recently been used in attempts to resolve this problem. A bidding mechanism based on Contract Net protocol is often proposed as a key solution component. Our approach is to use both functional and physical resource related agents, and combine a bidding mechanism based on Contract Net protocol with a mediation mechanism based on Mediator architecture for realizing dynamic manufacturing scheduling and rescheduling. A machine-centered scheduling mechanism and related concepts and mechanisms are described, and a prototype implementation is presented.

DOI: 10.3233/ICA-2001-8102

Journal: Integrated Computer-Aided Engineering, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 17-30, 2001