Re-thinking diagnosis for future automation systems: An analysis of current diagnostic practices and their applicability in emerging IT based production paradigms

• Published in: Computers in industry Vol. 62; no. 7; pp. 639 - 659
• Main Authors: Ribeiro, Luis, Barata, Jose
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 01.09.2011; Elsevier; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Subjects: Adaptive production systems; Adequacy; Applied sciences; Artificial intelligence; Automation; Computer science; control theory; systems; Computer systems and distributed systems. User interface; Control theory. Systems; Diagnosis; Diagnostic software; Diagnostics; Dynamical systems; Dynamics; Exact sciences and technology; Information technology; Internet; Mathematical models; Process control. Computer integrated manufacturing; Production management; Reconfigurable manufacturing systems; Software; Studies; Reconfigurable manufacturing systems; Adaptive production systems; Diagnosis; Production system; Automation; Peer to peer; Adaptive system; Modeling; Multiagent system; Self organization; Consolidation; World wide web; Internet; Reconfigurable architectures; System analysis; Artificial intelligence; Fault diagnostic
• ISSN: 0166-3615; 1872-6194; 1872-6194
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compind.2011.03.001

With the advent of the Internet and the progressive development and consolidation of a wide range of web standards and technologies as well as the advances in distributed artificial intelligence (DAI), namely the multi agent system concept, new opportunities have emerged for conceiving, modelling and enhancing shop floor's performance and response. Modern IT-supported production paradigms denote a common concept where the shop floor is a lively entity composed by interacting intelligent modules whose individual and collective function adapts and evolves ensuring the fitness and adequacy of the organization, owning the system, in tackling profitable but volatile business opportunities. The self-organizing and peer to peer nature of these systems renders a collective behaviour and dynamics that are fundamentally new. Conventional diagnostic methods and tools have not been designed targeting the envisioned systems therefore lack the required support. In this paper the emerging IT-based production paradigms are surveyed as well as the existing diagnostic methods whose adequacy is analysed. The resulting requirements and characteristics are exposed to stress the need for rethinking current diagnostic practices in future automation systems.