MRI: Acquisition of An Automated Assembly System and RFID Equipment for Research and Education in Advanced Manufacturing

射频识别（RFID）技术和先进传感能力的集成提供了建立数据丰富的制造环境的潜力，可以通过增强决策来提高制造系统的性能。现有的基于集中决策的生产控制方法不适合有效利用来自RFID标签和车间其他传感器的实时大量数据。在这个项目中，我们将探索捕捉实时数据的新型控制体系结构，促进智能决策，并传达决策以便在车间及时执行。在这个项目中，将设计和开发一个集成柔性制造系统与RFID技术和其他传感器的试验台。此外，该试验台将与仿真平台集成，以促进硬件在环仿真。这样的试验台将允许仿真模型与实际生产设备和控制器的实时交互，以便扩大从车间到供应链级别的应用范围，从而可以研究现实的解决方案。本项目旨在利用试验台的功能实现以下目标：1)研究由车间级实时数据驱动的分散控制体系结构和决策模型，以动态监控和分配整个供应链的资源和零件。2)科研培训为本科生和研究生在制造系统控制、零部件实时布线、资产管理、工业控制器等先进制造领域的研究挑战提供了一个激励和灵活的环境。3)教育促进学生在本科和研究生课程中的实践经验，这对德克萨斯大学圣安东尼奥分校（UTSA）的新制造和企业工程课程至关重要。该提案的基本独特性源于三个因素：1)与传统的短视RFID实施相反的整体方法，2)可扩展的建模方法“硬件在环仿真”，以及3)车间与供应链的集成。该项目对美国制造业的竞争力做出了重大贡献，其目标与国防部和陆军研究办公室从分布式、以网络为中心的系统的角度来看的愿景非常吻合。有效和及时的决策是维持制造业竞争力的最重要因素。该项目旨在将RFID技术与一套工业级控制器集成在一起，并制定决策方案，其中包括RFID数据和其他制造数据的有效混合，以实现有效和及时的决策。此外，该项目还包括与车间级操作集成的供应链级业务流程，以便可以调查传感器数据（RFID和其他传感技术）不仅对车间而且对供应链级的影响。此外，该项目对UTSA在制造和企业工程方面启动新的制造计划以及建立先进制造和精益系统中心（CAMLS）的使命做出了重要贡献。

Integration of radio frequency identification (RFID) technologies and advanced sensing capabilities provides a potential to establish a data-rich manufacturing environment, which can be exploited to improve manufacturing system performance via enhanced decision-making. Existing production control methods, based on centralized decision-making, are not suitable for effective utilization of such voluminous data coming in real-time from RFID tags and other sensors on the shop floor. In this project, we will explore novel control architectures that capture the real-time data, facilitate intelligent decision-making, and communicate the decisions for timely execution on the shop floor. In this project, a test-bed that integrates flexible manufacturing systems with RFID technologies and other sensors will be designed and developed. Furthermore, the test-bed will be integrated with simulation platforms in order to facilitate hardware-in-the-loop simulation. Such a test-bed will allow for real-time interaction of simulation models with actual production equipment and controllers in order to scale up applications that range from shop floor to supply chain level so that realistic solutions can be investigated.This project aims to achieve the following by utilizing the capabilities of the test-bed:1) Research investigate decentralized control architectures and decision-making models driven by shop floor level real-time data for dynamic monitoring and allocation of resources and parts across the supply chain.2) Research Training provide a stimulating and flexible environment for both undergraduate and graduate students to undertake research challenges in advanced manufacturing areas, such as manufacturing system control, real-time routing of parts, asset management, and industrial controllers. 3) Education facilitate hands-on experience for students in undergraduate and graduate courses that are crucial to the new Manufacturing and Enterprise Engineering curricula at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).The fundamental uniqueness of this proposal stems from three factors:1) A holistic approach as opposed to traditional, myopic RFID implementations,2) A scaleable modeling approach "Hardware-in-the-loop Simulation", and3) Integration of shop floor with supply chain.This project contributes significantly to the competitiveness of US manufacturing industries and its objectives fit well with the vision of the Department of Defense and the Army Research Office from the standpoint of distributed, network-centric systems. Effective and timely decision-making is the most important factor in order to sustain competitiveness in manufacturing. This project aims to integrate RFID technology with a suite of industry-grade controllers and to develop decision making schemes that involve an effective blend of RFID data and other manufacturing data for effective and timely decision making. In addition, this project includes supply chain level business processes integrated with shop floor level operations so that the impact of sensor data (RFID and other sensing technologies) not only on the shop floor but also supply chain level can be investigated. In addition, this project is an important contribution to UTSA's mission to launch new manufacturing programs in Manufacturing and Enterprise Engineering and to establish the Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Lean Systems (CAMLS).