A knowledge-based cell controller for flexible manufacturing systems

The cell control level is often the integral part in the implementation of computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) for the control of shop floor production. However, the conventional cell controllers operate with little intelligence and are often unable to adapt to different manufacturing environment and requirements. This paper introduces a framework for a knowledge-based cell controller that is currently being develop for GINTIC´s flexible manufacturing systems. The cell controller is designed with a knowledge-base system embedded in an object-oriented control system. Changes in the production environment and operation rules can be easily reflected by modifying the rule sets embedded. The functionality of a cell controller, in the context of GINTIC´s control model for flexible manufacturing system, is carefully studied and mapped to the knowledge-based framework.<>