Approaches to Methods of Autonomous Cooperation and Control and Examples for the Material Flow Layer

Abstract

One aim of the working circle “Autonomous Cooperation and Control” within the Cooperative Research Center 637 was to ensure that the developed definition (chapter 1 Introduction) will be on the one hand precise and valid for an interdisciplinary view, and on the other hand realistically based on production and logistic scenarios. A production scenario is represented by machines, orders, transportation systems, storage areas and the interconnecting material flow. The material flow in conventional production planning and control (PPC)-systems has to be planned, controlled and to be under surveillance. Material flow means the execution of the physical movement of parts and products through production and logistic systems. In order to cope with a wide range of logistic applications, transport and production processes are considered within selected scenarios. High relevance- and therefore logistic potentials-especially for the application of autonomous cooperation and control is offered by the job shop production principle. This is characterized by a functional organization whose departments or work centres are organised around particular types of equipment or operations. Work pieces are transported through the departments in batches (Hernández 2002).