Software Patterns for Modelling Discrete-Part Manufacturing Systems Using Objects

Abstract

A manufacturing system consists of entities that relate to one another through some type of transaction. Entities exhibit specific behaviours. The essential modelling problem is to reproduce the aggregate effect of individual behaviours, typically by representing all the relevant entities, their behaviours, and their transactions. Simulation software provides the means for creating, executing, and observing these representations. While modern simulation languages provide many useful modelling constructs, they suffer from several limitations in modelling manufacturing systems. These include having incomplete or inconsistent mapping of software abstractions to the system being modelled, having limited modules for representing decision-making, and not being able to explicitly accommodate human supervisory control. In this article we discuss the development and application of an object-oriented architecture for manufacturing modelling and simulation. The architecture is derived from an explicit domain analysis of discrete-part manufacturing systems from a material flow perspective, and provides software patterns for representing entities and their interactions. The architecture also supports the development of real-time, interactive simulations of manufacturing systems with a high degree of fidelity, incorporating supervisory control, and it provides software abstractions for representing manufacturing decision-making and control.

Key Words:

• Software patterns
• discrete-part manufacturing systems
• object-oriented simulation
• domain analysis

Additional information

Notes on contributors

S. Narayanan

S. Narayanan is Professor and Chair of the Biomedical, Industrial, and Human Factors Engineering Department at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. He received his Ph.D. in industrial and systems engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1994 and is a registered professional engineer in industrial engineering in Ohio. Prof. Narayanan directs the interactive systems modelling and simulation laboratory at Wright State University. He and his students have developed computational models and simulations and applied modelling results to design interactive systems to aid humans in performing cognitively complex tasks such as planning, information retrieval, and troubleshooting. Domains of application include manufacturing, logistics, information retrieval, and remotely piloted vehicles. Dr. Narayanan serves as an Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, and the International Journal of Modelling and Simulation.

D. Bodner

Douglas A. Bodner is currently a Research Engineer in the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology. His primary areas of research interest include simulation languages and paradigms, manufacturing automation and control, and human-machine systems. He received a B.Sc. degree in industrial engineering and an M.Sc. in operations research from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He received a Ph.D. in industrial engineering from Georgia Tech. He is a member of HE, IEEE, INFORMS, Tau Beta Pi, and Alpha Pi Mu.

U. Sreekanth

Uday Sreekanth was the engineering manager of the Java group at Versant Corporation in Fremont, CA. He is currently with Co-Via in California. His research interests include parallel and distributed computing, simulation, multimedia systems, and the design and modelling of manufacturing systems. He received a B.Tech. degree in mechanical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, in 1991, and M.Sc. degrees in industrial engineering and computer science from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1994.

T. Govindaraj

T. Govindaraj is with the Center for Human-Machine Systems Research in the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech. aerospace, computer, and communication networks, industrial logistics, manufacturing, and power plants, with the goal of developing computer-based systems to assist the human operator. His research has been concerned with human supervisory control, expertise in engineering design and diagnostic problem solving, intelligent tutoring systems, and the ecological design of complex engineered systems by adapting principles of design in nature and the environment. Govindaraj is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Association for Computing Machinery, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He has served actively in the IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society, as a member of the AdCom, the ExCom, and is an Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions.

L. McGinnis

Leon F. McGinnis is the Gwaltney Professor of Manufacturing Systems in the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he has been teaching and leading research in the areas of manufacturing logistics systems since 1975. His efforts have focused on the use of computing technology and operations research for designing, managing, and controlling complex manufacturing and distribution systems. Prof. McGinnis has authored or co-authored over 100 technical papers on topics ranging from power generation to shipbuilding and manufacturing applications in aerospace, transportation, and electronics assembly. He is a Fellow of IIE.

C. Mitchell

Christine M. Mitchell is Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology. Her research interests are in the areas of modelling and design of operator interaction in the control of complex dynamic systems. Prof. Mitchell is a member of Georgia Tech's Center for Human-Machine Systems Research, Graphics, Visualization, and Usability (GVU) Center, and the cognitive Science Program. Professional affiliations include the American Association for Artificial Intelligence, Association for Computing Machinery, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, HE, INFORMS, and the IEEE Society for Systems, Man, and Cybernetics.