Intelligent Material Handling Systems: Behavior-Based Control for Autonomous Tending of Manufacturing Workcells

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This material handling project addresses behavior based control for autonomous tending of manufacturing workcells. Automation systems assume that all objects are where they are supposed to be and that sensors and machines function as they are meant to. Failure to satisfy these assumptions can often result in catastrophic failure. Methodologies that facilitate the integration of sensors, computers and machines in order to autonomously accomplish complex tasks, i.e. sensing and dealing with the unexpected, are not well developed at all. This project proposes a behavioral control strategy to accomplish these tasks. The idea is based on observations of naturally occurring examples of autonomous systems, such as animal behavior. The strategy is based on the implementation of multiple behaviors taking advantage of multiple sensors and actuators functioning concurrently. Such ideas have been tested on robots, and the result has been to provide a successful strategy for robust operation in dynamically changing, unstructured environments. This project proposes to use this approach in the tending of machine tools used for low volume batch manufacturing, including the transfer of tool and parts among stations on the shop floor. With the experience gained in this research, progress is expected towards the long term goal of developing a general methodology for designing and building an hierarchical structure of integrated behaviors which can be use to address many generic material handling issues.***//