Knowledge-based Production Management Systems: Working Conference Proceedings

In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) methods have been applied to production management systems (PMS), particularly in the area of scheduling. Included in this book is a review of research and applications as well as a presentation of new results. There is a mix of papers from industry, research laboratories and academia which gives a realistic perspective on the prospects for AI technology in PMS applications. The majority of papers are concerned with the use of knowledge based techniques to solve various scheduling problems. The introductory section includes two overview papers, each presenting the views and expectations of researchers in major industrial companies who have some experience of using AI technology to solve production management problems. There follows a series of technical papers which have been grouped into five categories: Model Based and Simulation Approaches; AI and Scheduling; AI and Production Planning; The GRAI Method; AI Applications and FMS.

Table of Contents:
Introduction to AI and PMS. Prospects for AI in PMS (J. Harhen). What Difference will Expert Systems Make? The Way to Expert System-Based Production Management (S. Augustin et al.). Model Based and Simulation Approaches. Model-Based Expert Systems for Production Management (P. Cunningham, J.P. Shivnan). Model-Based Reasoning in Manufacturing Systems Design (E. Eloranta et al.). Knowledge Acquisition by Means of Games (S. Merit, J.O. Riis). A Know-How Activated Simulation Tools-System for Production Management Support (I. Inoue, M. Fuyuki). Expert Systems in Manufacturing Simulation (J.O. Strandhagen). Integrating Simulation and AI into a Production Scheduling System (C. Walter). AI and Scheduling. A Constraint-Based Scheduling System for VLSI Wafer Fabrication (P. Elleby et al.). State Transition Table as a Data Structure for Adding Intelligence to Material Flow Control in Production Management Systems (C. Moodie et al.). Hybrid Knowledge-Based Analytical Approach to Production Management Systems Design (A. Villa). Expert System for Production Planning and Scheduling (P. Lecocq, T. Guiot). The Scheduler's Knowledge of Uncertainty: The Missing Link (K.N. McKay et al.). Job Shop Dynamic Scheduling. The Knowledge-Based Approach of SONIA (B. Sauve). An Intelligent System for Parallel Machine Scheduling (R. Karni, I. Hayeems). An Intelligent Knowledge-Based System for the Scheduling of a Cell with Parallel Facilities (H. Jagdev). AI and Production Planning. AI and Capacity Planning with G.T. and Period Batch Control (J.L. Burbidge). A Systematization of Knowledge for the Selection and Implementation of Materials Management Software (I.P. Tatsiopoulos). The Grai Method. Knowledge-Based Systems for the Design of Production Management Systems (G. Doumeingts et al.). Using GRAI to Specify Expert Systems for the Control and the Supervision of Flexible Flow Lines (A. Huber, D. Buenz). AI Applications in FMS. Goal Identification for FMS Control (P.J. Sackett, I.S. Fan). Object-Oriented Design of a Flexible Manufacturing System (H. Stienen, P.R. van der Weerd).