From Flexibility to Evolvability: ways to achieve self-reconfigurability and full-autonomy

Evolvable Production Systems: Approach towards Modern Production Systems

“…High adaptability at factory level through the development of self-learning, self-optimizing and co-operative control systems is the response to turbulent and constant changing of tasks and products. When requirements of new products emerge there is a need for fast re-configurability on the assembly line in order to start the production fast and achieve low TTM (Time to Market) winning advantage over the competitors (Maffei et al, 2009). Besides shortening the TTM and winning advantage over competitors, the cost effectiveness can be highly improved using Evolvable Production Systems.…”

“…These issues had been addressed in several approaches (Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS), Re-configurable Manufacturing Systems (RMS), Holonic Manufacturing Systems (HMS), etc.) with little success to date (Onori et al) FMS attained efficient results in predefined foreseen situations during the system design, however the control solutions were too rigid and couldn't cope with unpredictable scenarios(new features imposed by market demands) imposing a great programming effort and therefore increasing the installation time and cost (Maffei et al, 2009). RMS considered the need to improve interoperability and lower the costs promoting the use of modular systems.…”

“…Notwithstanding with such progress the modularization in such systems was based on assembly functions (feeding, handling, etc.) which is not suitable for a dynamic control solution (Maffei et al, 2009). HMS started with a very biological inspired approach (similar to EPS), however implementations along the years got deviated it from the basic approach resulting in more hierarchical systems.…”

“…This feature helps setting constraints to the product designer that must account them in order to maximize the efficiency of modules available enhancing re-usability of modules and reducing costs. The efficiency is maximized since a new module will only be developed if it is strictly necessary because similar results of the process cannot be achieved through the use of other modules or the process design of the product cannot be changed (Maffei et al, 2009). This is illustrated in the model below showing the process flow for system development when a new product idea emerges.…”

“…To aim at a real flexible system (system that can fully adapt to unforeseen changes in environment conditions) the sub-systems and the control systems must be extremely adaptable. The lower a component is positioned in the hierarchic structure of the system the more flexible it must be in order to empower the system's flexibility (Maffei et al, 2009). The following figure illustrates precisely this, showing the relation between the complexity level of the system and the needed level of adaptability for it, emphasizing the aspect that control requires a high level of adaptability.…”