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Research : Micromanufacturing : Control : Discrete Event Control

Discrete Event Control

Matrix Supervisory Controller
Matrix Supervisory Controller allowed fast and easy mission programming of ARRI’s wireless sensor network, which consists of mobile sentry robots, unattended ground sensors, and blimps.
Matrix-Based Interface
Matrix-Based man-machine interface for fast Mission Programming (using LabVIEW®).

 

 

 

 

 

Objective:

  • Develop improved supervisory control systems for event-based systems including manufacturing workcells, wireless sensor networks, battlefield command and communication, and dynamic resource assignment.
  • Provide a rigorous and streamlined framework for mission planning, task sequencing, and real-time resource assignment that allows analysis of performance, computer simulation & verification, and fast implementation of effective supervisory controllers on actual task/resource systems.

Matrix Supervisory Controller

Wireles Sensor Network

The Matrix Supervisory Controller simplifies the programming and improves the performance of this robotic manufacturing workcell at ARRI.

ARRI Wireless Sensor Network with Unattended Ground Sensors and Mobile Sentry Robots having vision and chemical sensors. The Discrete Event Controller runs on the laptop computer and assigns tasks and coordinates resources.

Approach:

  • Discrete event controller based on matrices for efficient design, computer simulation, and implementation.
  • Matrix Graphical User Interface for ease of mission programming and resource assignment.
  • Incorporation of the Steward Task Sequencing matrix and the Resource Requirements matrix into a rigorous mathematical framework to calculate the next jobs to perform and assign the required resources dynamically.
  • Measurement of events, sensor readings, available resources, and tasks accomplished in the discrete event system, and formal computation of the next activities needed using a simplified feedback controller structure.
  • Analysis to determine the onset of blocking phenomena such as deadlock and throughput delay, and computation of blocking avoidance tactics.
  • Relation of our Matrix Feedback Controller with standard tools such as Petri Nets and Max-Plus Algebra, which are more difficult to implement on actual systems but have a good theoretical foundation.
  • Implementation of Graphical User Interfaces in LabVIEW for easy design for discrete event systems, including mission planning, task sequencing, and resource pool assignment.
  • A higher-level outer loop for priority task assignment, Quality of Service, and User Selected dispatching.
  • Programming of manufacturing workcells and wireless sensor networks remotely over the internet.

Accomplishments:

  • A new Matrix Framework has been developed for discrete event supervisory control, including task assignment and dynamic resource assignment.
  • The matrix framework allowed development of a new supervisory controller that allows fast design, mission planning, computer simulation, and actual implementation.
  • A US patent has been received.
  • Publication of a book on Discrete Event Control and numerous scientific papers.
  • NSF grant received for work with Mexico universities to program robot workcells over the internet using the new controller.
  • Two Army Research Office contracts received, one for research in discrete event control, and one DURIP to buy equipment for a Wireless Sensor Networks Lab at ARRI.
  • With our method, it is now as easy to deploy and program a wireless sensor network as it is to program a PC.
  • A wireless sensor network has been developed for Condition-Based Maintenance of a machinery room, including equipment monitoring, fault diagnosis, and health prognosis using advanced decision schemes.
  • Implementation of our DE controller on a robotic manufacturing workcell at ARRI.
  • Implementation of our DE controller on a wireless sensor network for environmental monitoring and area security at ARRI.
  • International collaboration with leading researchers and institutes in Europe and China
  • Development of an ARRI Outreach program including local high school Teacher Development, and summer programs for top local students
  • Founded local Dallas/Fort Worth IEEE Control systems Society Chapter in 1994

Publications:

[1]

H. Huang, F.L. Lewis, O.C. Pastravanu, and A. Gurel, “Flowshop scheduling design in an FMS matrix framework,” Control Engineering Practice, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 561-568, 1995.

[2]

D. Tacconi and F.L. Lewis, “A new matrix model for discrete event systems: application to simulation,” IEEE Control Systems Magazine, pp. 62-71, Oct. 1997.

[3]

B. Harris, F.L. Lewis, and D.J. Cook, “Machine planning for manufacturing: dynamic resource allocation and on-line supervisory control,” J. Intelligent Manufacturing, vol. 9, pp. 413-430, 1998.

[4]

F.L. Lewis, A. Gurel, S. Bogdan, A. Doganalp, O. Pastravanu, “Analysis of deadlock and circular waits using a matrix model for flexible manufacturing systems,” Automatica, vol. 34, no. 9, pp. 1083-1100, 1998.

[5]

A. Gurel, S. Bogdan, and F.L. Lewis, "Matrix approach to deadlock-free dispatching in multi-class finite buffer flowlines," IEEE Trans. Automatic Control, vol. 45, no. 11, pp. 2086-2090, Nov. 2000.

[6]

F.L. Lewis, B.G. Horne, and C.T. Abdallah, "Computational complexity of determining resource loops in reentrant flow lines," IEEE Trans. Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 222-229, 2000.

[7]

B. Harris, D. Cook, and F.L. Lewis, "Automatically generating plans for manufacturing," J. Intelligent Systems, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 279-319, 2000.

[8]

J. Mireles and F.L. Lewis, “Intelligent Material Handling: Development and implementation of a matrix-based discrete-event controller,” IEEE Trans. Industrial Electronics, vol. 48, no. 6, pp. 1087-1097, Dec. 2001.

[9]

B. Harris, D. Cook, F.L. Lewis, “A matrix formulation for integrating assembly trees and manufacturing resource planning (MRP) with capacity constraints,” J. Intelligent Manufacturing, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 239- 252. August 2002.

[10]

S. Bogdan, F.L. Lewis, Z. Kovacic, A. Gurel, and M. Stajdohar, “An implementation of the matrix-based supervisory controller of flexible manufacturing systems,” IEEE Trans. Control Systems Technol., vol. 10, no. 5, pp. 709-716, Sept. 2002.

[11]

J. Mireles, F.L. Lewis, and A. Gurel, “Deadlock avoidance for manufacturing multipart reentrant flow lines using a matrix-based discrete event controller,” Int. J. Prod. Res., vol. 40, no. 13, pp. 3139-3166, 2002.

 

Related Topics :
Control :
Intelligent and Nonlinear Control
Discrete Event Control


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