1999 Volume 8 Issue 2 Pages 1-12
Scheduling problem is one of the most important factors to facilitate effective manufacturing management and operation. Fully de-centralised scheduling architecture with flexibility and robustness is required in manufacturing system. This paper studies the abilities of multi-agent paradigm with simple architecture and primitive algorithm to move appropriately in relation to several process machines. Efficient individual behaviour is obtained in simulation model. Self-organised work flow is formulated with coordinated motions between work agents against several disturbances in manufacturing system, such as machine failures and QTAT works. A collective decision making phenomenon amongst the cooperative work agents is observed in the experiments. The work agents are capable of robustness and reliability coping with the several scheduling demands.
