A Context-Centric Ambient Intelligent Framework for Manufacturing Process Optimisation文档.pdf

A Context-Centric Ambient Intelligent Framework for Manufacturing Process Optimisation Gearóid Hynes Digital Enterprise Research Institute (DERI), National University of Ireland, Galway, IDA Business Park, Lower Dangan, Galway, Ireland gearoid.hynes@ Abstract. This paper discusses a proposed framework to optimise manufactur- ing processes for small to medium enterprises through the application of ambi- ent intelligent technologies. To profit in today’s market, small manufacturers must be efficient and agile to minimise cost and to meet variable market de- mand. The framework will provide decision support for the manager by supply- ing intuitive access to the real-time data describing the status of the shop floor environment and the ability to automate responses depending on environmental conditions. 1 Description of Purpose The modern market is increasingly volatile and in order for small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to survive they are called upon to produce smaller batch sizes with a larger range of variants of those products [1].Manufacturing companies are constantly required to adjust their production volume of products, variants and quan- tities, in particular SMEs that rely on the flexibility and agility provided by their rela- tively small size to compete with larger competitors. SMEs have to meet the chal- lenges of the increasing product variants and service content of products by improv- ing their manufacturing processes. Plant managers must also protect long-term in- vestments in manufacturing systems. Therefore there