Development and implementation of an intelligent flexible manufacturing system

Abstract

The GRUMMAN INTERNATIONAL NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE CAD/CAM CENTRE is currently developing an Intelligent Flexible Manufacturing System for the machining of complexed shaped components. The equipment which has been installed includes an automated storage and retrieval system with a vertical transfer system; a Scara robot with an assembly table for fixturing; a 3 axis vertical machining centre with a gantry robot for the loading and unloading of modular fixtures; an automatic probe changing co-ordinate measuring machine for inspection; and an automated guided vehicle system for material transportation.

The Intelligent Flexible Manufacturing System, IFMS employs a distributed control strategy with four distinct subsets; namely, Facility Level for plans development; Shopfloor Level for inventory control and production scheduling; Workstation Level for local planning, scheduling and data transmission; Equipment Level for the control of programmable logic and computer numerical control, CNC controllers.

The software which has been developed locally for this IFMS includes post-processors for the assembly robot, vertical machining centre and co-ordinate measuring machine, CMM. Communication software between different workstations and the CAD facilities together with the equipment controllers and machine tools has also been successfully developed.

This paper describes the design philosophy and development work associated with an IFMS within GINTIC from the facility planning level to the equipment control level.