9527190 Hollis This research aims to improve assembly in product manufacturing. Assembly is a difficult and time-consuming process to automate, especially when small tolerances are necessary. This architecture for agile assembly is a strategic framework using agent-based robotic elements that are precise, modular, and extensible. These elements form sets of leased self-contained software/hardware modules that can be programmed and operated over the Internet, and can be brought together to form miniature agile factories for assembly. Such a scheme requires a combination of intelligent networked communication, distributed computing resources using high-performance processors, and distributed sensor/actuator subsystems of novel design. Design and construction of a prototype miniature factory according to the principles of agile assembly architecture will be carried out to validate the research and provide a unique and powerful reconfigurable platform for assembly research and evaluation by industry. Partial assembly of magnetic storage disk drives will serve as a testbed. This work aims to advance knowledge in three main areas: (1) seamless wide area and local area networking of distributed agents emphasizing high quality of service; (2) modular precision robotic assembly elements containing high-performance embedded processors; and (3) a comprehensive software environment for modeling, simulation, and programming of the miniature factories. The results of the research could allow manufacturers to develop a capability for geographically distributed design and deployment of assembly systems while providing drastically reduced changeover times, higher quality, and a new level of manufacturing system portability.
