Artificial Intelligence and Flexible Manufacturing

Artificial Intelligence and Flexible Manufacturing

Artificial Intelligence and Flexible Manufacturing - Introduction

A technology that is having a positive impact on flexible manufacturing is artificial intelligence. A difficult problem to overcome in flexible manufacturing is the inability of automated machines to mimic such basic human capabilities as adjusting appropriately to differences in the size, shape, or orientations of objects. This is particularly true in assembly processes. Artificial intelligence is helping to solve this dilemma.

For example, an assembly worker whose job is to retrieve small parts from a feeder bin and insert them into the appropriate holes in a plate, has many human attributes to assist him.

These include sight, hand eye coordination, reasoning abilities, logic, judgment, and experience. If the assembly worker picks up a part that is not properly oriented or if on his first attempt to insert the part, it does not properly seat, these human capabilities allow him to adjust appropriately.

Even the most sophisticated automated assembly systems used in flexible manufacturing settings cannot completely mimic these capabilities. Artificial intelligence is an attempt to increase the number of human characteristics computers and computer-controlled systems can mimic.

Artificial Intelligence Defined

Artificial intelligence is the ability of a computer to imitate human intelligence and, thereby, make intelligent decisions. Computer controlled sys­tems that apply artificial intelligence to everyday settings are called expert systems.

In any discussion of artificial intelligence, several key words and phrases are frequently used:

(i)Algorithm: A special computer program that will solve selected problems within a given time frame.

(ii)Early Vision: Computer calculations that allow systems to see by providing low-level data such as spatial and geometrical information.

(iii)Higher Level Vision: Computer calculations that allow systems to accomplish higher level tasks such as smart movement within an environment, object recognition, and reasoning about objects.

(iv)Knowledge Engineering: A process through which knowledge is collected from experts in a given field and converted into a computable format.

(v)Neurocomputering: An approach to performing mathematical calculations on a computer that is based on the way the human nervous system operates.

Humans can make logical, reasoned adjustments in a work setting because they can quickly collect information, access it against the sum total of their human experience, and evaluate known relationships among various items of information. The science of artificial intelligence attempts to imitate this process with computers.

Humans attempt to create an experience base in computers by feeding them all known information about a given subject. This information is then used by the computer in making decisions. This is why the concept is called artificial intelligence.

The computer does not really think. Rather, it simply searches its memory for the appropriate information. If the information is there, the computer uses it in making logical decisions. The key is in feeding the computer enough relevant information.