Simulation and multi-agent-based integrated solution for manufacturing planning and control

The performance level of customer services (for example, short time for delivery of customer orders and economical service process) in manufacturing enterprises greatly depends on an effective manufacturing planning and control system (MPCS). The hierarchical planning approach of most MPCS may have resulted in critical situations, such as rigidity in the planning structure, complex control system design, and inflexible process. Applying a negotiation-based decision-making approach, also known as multi-agent approach (MAS), can help a distributed and autonomous system to perform successfully. However, in this scenario, each of the agents is applied to the system with an individual objective, thereby leading to conflicts between individual objectives and performance of the entire system. Therefore, this research aims for an agent-based manufacturing planning and control system (AMPCS) by developing an effective closed-loop feedback simulation (CLFS) algorithm.