Middleware Communication System for Fixture based Flexible Manufacturing Systems

Abstract

Today's factory floors are a distributed system of heterogeneous components. They exist a high degree of production customization to cater for this most factory floor systems are being adapted for customization. Most current manufacturing communication systems do not have a flexible architecture to serve the changeable and dynamic market needs thus presenting a research gap in flexible communication. This paper discusses a middleware communication system that allows for flexible optimal control of information flow in a fixture based production system. The architecture of the system aims to integrate seamlessly a heterogeneous factory environment, for autonomous monitoring and control of information on the factory floor.