Wireless information system for rotating operators in human-based assembly lines

Abstract

This article suggests an information system for the support of human operators in an assembly line. The information system utilises mobile devices and a pushlet-based infrastructure for automatically providing the mobile line operators with information in real time. The Radio Frequency Identification technology is used for tracking the location of a vehicle, its parts and the operator on the assembly line. An intelligent decision-making algorithm is paired with this information along with a communication infrastructure for enabling a dynamic job rotation during assembly. The system enables the reduction of errors in multivariant assembly lines, the reduction of time for information retrieval and the efficient allocation of assembly tasks to operators. The system has been implemented in a truck assembly line.

Keywords:

• assembly
• information
• intelligent

Additional information

Funding

This work has been partially supported by the FP6 Integrated Project ‘Flexible assembly Processes for the car of the third millennium – MyCar’ (026631), funded by the European Commission.