This paper describes for a pushing-cut process of a piled-up polycarbonate(PC) sheet. The cutting line force of single, facets blades on the piled-up PC sheet was measured and its cutting deformation was observed by a CCD camera in order to reveal the effect of piled-up structure on deformation flow of the PC sheet. The deformation flow in the side view of the PC sheet was observed with respect to indentation of the blade by varying the blade tip angle. It is found that a certain facets is superior for getting a good cutting profile, compared to a single wedge type.

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This paper describes a plastic bending test of a steel band blade which has 42 degree center bevel edge was carried out, based on the three point bending method. In order to reveal the relationship between the camber angle of the bevel edge and the radius of curvature at the central line bent by the specified die tools, the section profile and several side views of those bent specimens were experimentally observed, and also the corresponded FEM models were investigated for the warpage of the center bevel edge.

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In detail design work, not only a product shape but also attribute (roughness, tolerance, etc.) is determined. However, for inexperienced designers, it is extremely hard to determine optimum attribute values. In addition, it is more difficult to re-model the shapes of die and mold from the product shape. In this paper, a method to automatically assign attribute, to re-model the shapes of die and mold, and to indicate design support information is proposed. The method is realized by introducing "Function Features". And a basic system based on the proposed method is constructed on a CAD system, and the usefulness is discussed.

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In this research, an effective tool path generation method for 3D model's machining is investigated by using multi-axis robot system. Processing 3D models using this robot system is already done, and the way for processing 3D models and tool path generation using this system is established. However, because of many problems, for example interference on tool and work, complexity of the algorism for tool path generation, and so on, it is difficult to produce complex models, and processing is not inefficient. In this research, improvement for tool path generation algrithm is considered ,and efficient processing of complex form is suggested.

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Reactive scheduling is one of the solutions for scheduling in dynamically changing manufacturing system. However, most of study for reactive scheduling use centralized scheduler. It is necessary to discuss about decentralized scheduler to catch up with nowadays huge and complex manufacturing systems. Also, it needs to be allowed that most of real manufacturing system scheduling problems are multi objective. The proposed approach gives more accurate and wider ranged solution for scheduling used distributed genetic algorithm. The effectiveness of the proposed method is confirmed by preliminary computer simulation results.

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Silicon wafer fabrication processes have long and unexpected production lead-time. This unexpected manner is caused by reentrant process where an wafer production lot is operated by a same manufacturing equipment many times during its total lead-time, that is, more than 30 days. Higher equipment utilization ratio requires decreasing customer services in delivery date promising. This paper proposes a method to make a master schedule by calculating product mix for each production period. More than 200 production steps are grouped into appropriate size for weekly time bucket by considering bottleneck production line. Experimental results show that high utilization ratio and customer services can be provided by the proposes model, and farther algorisms are also required.

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This paper deals with an integrated management method of production planning and scheduling to minimize the lead-time of products in the constraints of meeting due-dates. This method uses backward/forward scheduling to determine the release times of jobs in production planning level. Numerical experiments are used to examine the effectiveness of the methods.

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For quick and effective response to dynamically varying market demands, it is strongly required to make flexible manufacturing systems more efficient by introducing effective and autonomous control and management system. For efficient operation, it is important to decide which work in which area, such as warehouse, loading station, buffer and machining centers in the FMS to be transported to which area. This paper deals with an FMS with RGV for small products in which more than one small works are loaded on one pallet for processing and proposes an auction-based scheduling method for the FMS which is applied to select and assign a work to RGV. The characteristics and effectiveness of the proposed method are discussed in comparison to the one for the FMS processing large products.

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This research proposes new method for a dynamic production management in cellular manufacturing systems. When unforeseen changes, such as delays of manufacturing processes decrease of the number of workers, occur in the manufacturing systems, the predetermined production schedule is dynamically modified, in order to minimize the tardiness of products. All the tasks are reallocated to the individual workers real-timely by using evolutionary computation algorithm, and the execution sequences of the reallocated tasks are determined by using a heuristic rule. A learning curve effect is considered in this research in generation of a suitable production schedule. A prototype of dynamic production management system is developed based on the proposed method, and the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified through some computational experiments.

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In manufacturing management that faces to small size and wide variety production, it is difficult to know appropriate cost estimation of family products. Family products, which is an abstract production items having several options of parts and production processes, need to be described by bill of manufacturing (BOM) information efficiently because the information volume increases exponentially. This paper proposes a method to describe BOM structure for family products, and then shows an example of calculation of these family product costs by using production records of the previous period. Finally, the future plan to apply the method to an actual manufacturer is briefly discussed.

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Production lines in discrete manufacturing have huge number of data which changes in real-time basis. FA systems deal with such real-time data for controlling the equipments cooperatively within each production line or cell. In order to achieve collaborative and synchronous manufacturing within a production area or site level, these lines need to be integrated by Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES). However, due to its data volume, it is impossible to get all of the actual information into computer. Moreover, decision-making of human needs to be involved in the system, so that the future system performance cannot be predicted any more. This paper discusses such open control system including human decision-making, and tries to show a collaborative example, where MES has a virtual production lines and occasionally compares with actual data provided from FA systems. An experimental production line is illustrated and a preliminary result is reported.

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Die cutting machining methods are widely used in the packaging or printing industry, for the paperboard, labels, laminated resin sheets, ductile metal film and etc. Two industrial methods had been applied on the die cutting industry field. One is a flat plate cutting method. The other is a rotary cutting type method with the designed engraved cutter blade. This paper describes the rotary machining process of an aluminum thin sheet. FEM simulation as well as practical experimental cutting on a specially-designed, small size, machine were carried out to clarify the cutting mechanism of the rotary cutting process using cross cutter. The deformation and fracture behavior of the aluminum sheet is discussed considering the crack generation and propagation phenomena.

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This paper describes for a pushing-cut process of a piled-up cardboard and a recycled white-coated paperboard, which are subjected to a side bevel blade. The cutting deformation is observed by a CCD camera in order to reveal the asymmetric effect of the side bevel blade regarding the deformation flow of the cardboards. The deformation flow in the side view of the board is observed with respect to the indentation depth of the blade for each layer by varying the fixture condition on both the bevel wise half board and the spur wise half board. Through the experiment, the fixture effect on the material flow during the blade indentation was discussed.

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An environmental burden analyzer for machine tool operations has been developed, so far. A decision method of cutting conditions to minimize environmental burdens with using the developed analyzer is proposed in this report. For this purpose, patterns of environmental burden due to spindle speeds under the constant feed per tooth are categorized and an algorithm is proposed according to the categorized patterns. A feasibility of the decision method of cutting conditions in order to minimize the environmental burden is described.

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In a manufacturing system, the digital tools such as CAD, CAM, and simulation systems has been usually used. Then, communication among these systems frequently occurs. However, interoperability among heterogeneous software systems and tools is generally not available. Moreover, existing machining information models lack the necessary information and are described in their own formats. Consequently, many models which include the same information exist. There is another problem that various simulations for a virtual machining system and adaptive control for a real machining system are inacculate. To solve this problem, a digital machining information (DMI) model to support a real-virtual machining system is proposed in this study.

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We have proposed a new framework and a policy for online scheduling based on critical cumulative delay. We have also applied the cumulative delay based scheduling policy to typical shop scheduling models. This paper extends our previous work to parallel machines environments and we here concentrate to investigate an analytical model to determine a suitable value of 'critical cumulative delay', which triggers schedule modification when a cumulative task delay exceeds it a time point. Some computational experiments demonstrate the applicability of the proposed model.

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This paper deals with a new reactive scheduling strategy, which is referred to as match-up strategy, with a buffered predictive schedule aiming at reducing overreaction to disruptions which occur during the schedule execution. Buffers allocated on the predictive schedule over time play a role of absorption of schedule delays, by which it is expected to control frequent schedule modification. Some computational experiments demonstrate the applicablity of the proposed strategy under parallel machine environment.

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This research proposes a new model representing multi-layered dynamic supply chains and a new negotiation process among components in the model. The proposed model consists of three components named clients, manufacturers, and suppliers. The manufacturers generate and send both the orders of the parts to the suppliers and the offers of the products to the clients. The manufacturers continue to modify their production schedules after sending their orders of the parts to the suppliers, in order to improve their schedules to contract the ordered products. Therefore, the manufacturers are able to satisfy the requirements of the ordered products, even if the suppliers do not satisfy the requirement from the manufacturers. The effectiveness of the proposed model is verified through some computational experiments from the viewpoint of contract completion.

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New scheduling method is proposed in this paper, to consider the statistical distribution of machining time executed by human operators. The proposed scheduling method consists of two steps. In the first step, the sequences of jobs are determined for the individual machining tools based on dispatching rules. In the second step, the allocations of human operators to the individual machining tools are determined by considering the statistical deviations of the machining time. The scheduling system is also developed to carry out the proposed scheduling method by using machining time data base. The machining time data base generate the statistical deviations of the machining time obtained by the simulation of machining process.

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In printed circuit board (PCB) mounting process using surface mount technology (SMT), automated optical inspection systems (AOI) are widely employed in order to guarantee the process quality such as volume of printed solder paste and size of soldered solder joint. However, a quality control method using the quality characteristics measured by AOI has not been established. We developed a statistical quality control (SPC) system which displays the variation of quality characteristics in a two dimensional color graph. It enables the analyzer to instantly narrow down the factors by recognizing the condition in which the quality anomaly occurs. We implemented the system to a PCB mounting factory and succeeded in reducing the cycle time of the process improvement and preventing soldering defect as a result.

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In this paper, a new system which accelerates the cycle of KAIZEN activities is described. KAIZEN activities can be carried out with the following two visualizations. 1. Visualizing operational information from the production equipments. 2. Visualizing KAIZEN activities themselves. The first visualization is popularly implemented on IT systems. On the other hand, the second visualization hasn't been mentioned. For the second visualization, we considered three functions, i.e. discussing KAIZEN issues, progress control of each activity, reusing the know-how. The system we proposed has been implemented in our manufacturing department. We confirmed that the second visualization is effective to make the collaboration possible in manufacturing-related sections in a factory.

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The concern with realizing recycling society has been growing. For realizing recycling society, considering both profit of companies and environment load is important. It seems that the decision-making of collection trader is important, and the life of product has much effect on the decision of collection trader. In this paper, computer simulations based on Multi-agent System are executed, and the relationship between decision-making of collection trader and life of product is analyzed in the point of both profit and environment load.

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Product modularization is important not only for easy assembly and maintenance but also for effective reuse, upgrade and recycle. In this paper, a modular design method for assembly products is proposed. Some modularization methods on environmental conscious design have been proposed. However, most of these methods have not considered reuse and recycle process plan. Therefore, a new method is proposed to optimizes module structure based on life cycle process plan of each module so that environmental load becomes minimum. This computer support helps engineers to improve both product and process design. And, the method is implemented as a computer program applied by genetic algorithm in optimization processing. Some case studies show that computational results give us reasonable module structure and useful hints for environmental conscious design.

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The artificial heart which the Sun Medical Technology Research Corp. in Japan developed is just before the end of a clinical trial. It is a left ventricular assist system called Evaheart, and was created from pure titanium in Japanese craftsman work. The System uses a centrifugal blood pump to generate blood flow and pressure in a patient. The pump consists of an impeller positioned within the blood pump chamber, mounted on a shaft with a mechanical seal, and driven by a motor with coolseal circulatory system. The pump is connected to the adjustable speed controller by a percutaneous driveline. The pump is connected to the patient via the Inflow Cannula and the Outflow Graft. The Inflow Cannula is inserted into the apex of the left ventricle, affixed to the surface via a sewing cuff, and then connected to the Pump. As it starts from "Akutsu Heart", there is technological accumulation in Japan. It'll be expected that a Japanese artificial heart overwhelms the world.

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It is becoming very important to develop manufacturing technologies which win in a global economic competition. In this study, we discuss replacement possibility from expert skills to technologies. Competitive superiority of the Japanese manufacturing industries is maintained at a higher position by understanding a current situation about the expert skills and the technologies which can survive in the next generation. As a result of understanding such a situation, a policy for personnel training is expected to identify. We want to solve the problem how the personnel training of the engineer should do, by visualizing the replace and modeling process to the technology of the expert skill process. We therefore classify existing expert skills, on the basis of a assumption that all expert skills can't be always replaced to technologies. It will be clarified by this classification whether this replacement possibility depends on a point of view of the originality and differentiation or economic issues.

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In a previous paper by the authors, the Two-Factor Continuum Model for Risk Identification was proposed. The Two Factors in the model are the Resource Basis of the Technology and the Level of Integration of the Technology Transfer Project (TTP) with other projects. It was suggested by the authors that the Two Factor Continuum Model be used by participants of technology transfer projects as a preliminary guide in order to foreknow the risks to become better prepared, thus resulting to more effective and efficient technology transfers. This paper investigates fifty samples of TTPs that were started within the last 5 years. The paper finds out that there is one essential factor that could be a good predictor of the typical risks and success factors for technology transfer. This essential factor is the rationale or reason behind the technology transfer. Ultimately, this paper proposes a model for arriving at action items to ensure TTP success based on the rationale for the technology transfer.

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The fundamental viewpoint of the technical tradition in the production of a thing is "what kind of technology to convey how." The former "what kind of technology" is clarified by the method and procedure of technical actualization. It is required to, make the technology which "how it tell" of the latter should tell a technical acceptance person is the tradition purpose understand on the other hand, and to brew the posture and attitude which receives this spontaneously moreover. If it puts in another way, the motivation to a technical acceptance person's technical tradition is needed. For that, a useful method and technology are needed. From the above thing, in the main subject, the latter is perceived, it can progress in technical tradition with the viewpoint which brews a technical acceptance person's motive, and a direction is considered.

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An intensive 3D-simulation method for designing living environment assisting human behaviors has been developed. Basic motions necessary for daily life such as "arm-reaching, stand-up and sit-down, go up/down the stairs, etc" may be one of the most important factors for efficient design scheme. In this study, a rich human-body model with 44-DOF has been utilized in formulating basic daily-motion modules of human. Using multi-agent simulation technique with those modules, suitable living as well as housing environments can be designed with less efforts comparing to the mock-up type designing method widely used in industry.

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This paper describes a semantic wiki which is used for metadata management based on RDF triples. In order to allow semantic search of the stored RDF triples, an inference engine is added into the semantic wiki. The proposed semantic wiki is currently used to develop a manufacturing feature library.

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This paper describes a solution of a job shop scheduling problem focusing on operating orders for each machine. In this study, starting times of each job are restricted by directly before the operated job. The restrictions are based on the formulations for travelling salesman problems. The proposed formulations give an optimum schedule plan successfully for a tiny size of job shop scheduling problem for six products by six machines.

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Manufacturing industries face to the market where unexpected number of product is required in short delivery time. Therefore, a production plan with forecast is much important to meet the customer demand as well as low-level inventory management. This paper shows a method to allocate a portion of the production plan to each customer order effectively and efficiently. The numerical model has an objective function minimizing both inventory const and delivery lateness. Since, each order has individual priority and constraints, Lagrangian Decomposition and Coordination (LDC) method is used to get a semi-optimal solution.

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In order to implement the Demand-Synchronized Production, production capacity based on the demand of daily orders is needed, because production line is necessary a few days preparing for equipments and parts for production. So it is significant to accurately predict the volume of orders to be at peak in a few days. For the accuracy enhancement, this study aims to propose a demand forecast method targeting production volumes on a daily basis by deriving a prediction expression from the ordering data. This method analyzes data on the amount of orders placed several days before closing date. To fully utilize the data in deriving a prediction expression, Fourier analysis is applied. Analyzing sample data, we succeed in increasing peak concordance rates to high levels.

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This research aims at developing an intra-firm prediction market system as a tool for a quantitative forecasting problem, such as project lead-time estimation, demand forecasting, etc. The system uses the variable-interval prediction security (VIPS) as the prediction security to be traded in the market, and it possesses a computerized market maker that evaluates each unit of VIPS with a Gaussian price density and updates the price density function through a LMSR-like updating logic in an intermittent updating frequency according to the transactions in the market. Laboratory experiments on a virtual demand forecasting problem are conducted to study how the prediction market system functions with only a small number of participants. The system provides satisfactory results as compared to a statistical method, provided that the parameter controlling the sensitivity of the updating logic is appropriately tuned.

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In our study, we propose a distributed cooperative approach for flexible flowshop scheduling. This method breaks up the system into sub-schedulers, and they integrate as a single system. Since each scheduler needs only local information, it is effective to apply the large production system. Our target model includes lot formation problem, so we apply the method that each sub-scheduler optimizes not only own local schedule but lotsizing to the model. We compare our method with conventional distributed cooperative method, and show the effectiveness of the proposed concept.

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Now is the situation severe in competition of an enterprise worldwide. I think production system reorganization is necessary for an enterprise to survive. The value by the figure is needed to control quality in a production system. Estimating a production system by the process value-added rate is proposed. The process value-added rate is the percentage of the value-added process in a production system. You can also estimate by the same standard in a different production system. A cost of productive facilities can be reduced by managing the process value-added rate. An example of the effect is mentioned. (1) Reduction in production process. (2) Unit price reduction in production process. I believe this activity to make an enterprise grow.

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In this paper an autonomous decentralized assembly system led by product part agent is proposed. Products such as parts, and sub-assembled parts are configured as agents in addition to devices in the proposed autonomous assembly system. Product parts for assembly are divided into two types. One is the main part that is the base of the assembled product and the other is for sub parts that are installed on the main part. The main part agent takes the initiative in this assembly system. The main part agent is dynamically created with the product model. The main part agent generates the process plan that contains the assembly sequence to complete the product, operations in each process and the required sub parts. The main part agent schedules the assembly operations by communicating with assembly machine agents and other main part agents. The autonomous assembly process was simulated using the implemented agents.

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The concept of virtual manufacturing systems (VMS) was proposed more than fifteen years ago and a large number of research and development have been done for realizing VMS. Even with these efforts, VMS has not rearched its effective and practical phase. This report first analyzes the obstacles for realizing VMS in the past research and development, and then describes some emerging technologies which may clear the obstacles and enable industrial applications. Lastly challenges and visions for future VMS research and development are described.

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In this paper, we propose a technique for the negotiation between agents in the dynamic generation of a production plan in an autonomous production system using product parts agent and assembly machine agents. A part agent leads the promotion of processes in this type of assembly system. This agent generates the process plan that contains the assembly sequence to complete the product. The proposed system is defined as an event driven architecture. The increase in the costs of communication between agents is polynomial in the size of the agents. Moreover, this system adjusts the production schedule dynamically using only local negotiation when conditions will be changed. Finally, we show experimental results with simply examples. r.

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For the machining of elastomer, the mold tool is usually employed. However, fabrication of the mold tool is expensive and time-consuming process. So, the method is unsuitable for small lot production. Elastomer machining by endmilling can be an effective approach because of its flexibility. The objective of the research is to realize a high-precision elastomer machining in small lot production. At the milling of elastomer, there are two issues to be tackled. One is to reduce the deformation of the workpiece, the other is to control the appropriate surface generation. For the first issue, a concept of adaptive workpiece fixturing is employed to enhance the workpiece rigidity. A model based operation planning is proposed to overcome the second issue. Dedicated support tools for each machining step can help to control the deformation. Rapid prototyping technology enables to realize the fabrication of dedicated support tools. An experimental result of elastomer machining is also described in this paper. The result shows the proposed method is a promising approach.

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