Abstract
This paper intents to describe the work of integration developed in the metalwork manufacturing cell of CCP (Centro de CIM do Porto). It focus on the manufacturing cell philosophy, the structure of the cell controller, and the integration work with the MMS communication standard. The present work was developed at CCP as a part of the ESPRIT 5629 Project, concluded in October 1995.

Abstract
Nowadays, with the globalization of the markets, the companies must to implement new manufacturing technologies and concepts for the improvement of manufacturing systems productivity. The integration is one of the keys to solve the problems in manufacturing systems. The arrangement of the resources in cells and the implementation of control systems allows the improvement of productivity, flexibility, quality and the reduction of production costs. This paper describes a Cell Controller architecture solution, implemented at the flexible manufacturing cell integrated into the demonstration pilot of an ESPRIT Program Project; special attention to the control structure and the system communication is taken. The last part of the paper focuses the costs involved in this solution and presents the alternative platforms and technologies to implement the Cell Controller.

Abstract
In the last two decades there has been a marked trend in manufacturing away from function-centered production organisations towards product-based manufacturing shops and smaller organisational units. These new organisation structures reduce management complexity and facilitate greater human involvement and empowerment. Modern manufacturing facilities must be flexible, to allow for rapid reconfiguring of resources as dictated by variable demands. Today's tools for production planning and scheduling are not flexible enough, most of them being based on a certain production structure. A newly-developed kernel/shell technology aims at a software architecture for shop central not being based on any assumption of the production structure. it should be possible to support almost any structure, organisation and scheduling algorithm. A central kernel acts as a service provider for a broad array of shell modules for scheduling, interfacing with legacy systems database I/O, user interaction, SCADA interfacing, etc. This technology for shop control provides a high degree of customisation, flexibility and extendibility.

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract
The identification of the holons is a critical task in the development of holonic manufacturing control system applications. This paper discusses a methodology to develop distributed manufacturing control systems for the shop floor level, based on the ADACOR holonic architecture. The methodology comprises a set of steps, the more relevant being the identification of the manufacturing holons and the development of holons based on re-use libraries supported by the ADACOR approach. The paper focus on the first step and describes a procedure to identify the holons present in a manufacturing system. Copyright (C) 2003 IFAC.