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23 pages, 8614 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multimodal Interface for Human–Robot Collaboration

by Samu Rautiainen, Matteo Pantano, Konstantinos Traganos, Seyedamir Ahmadi, José Saenz, Wael M. Mohammed and Jose L. Martinez Lastra

Machines 2022, 10(10), 957; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines10100957 - 20 Oct 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2780

Abstract

Human–robot collaboration (HRC) is one of the key aspects of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) and requires intuitive modalities for humans to communicate seamlessly with robots, such as speech, touch, or bodily gestures. However, utilizing these modalities is usually not enough to ensure a good [...] Read more.

Human–robot collaboration (HRC) is one of the key aspects of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) and requires intuitive modalities for humans to communicate seamlessly with robots, such as speech, touch, or bodily gestures. However, utilizing these modalities is usually not enough to ensure a good user experience and a consideration of the human factors. Therefore, this paper presents a software component, Multi-Modal Offline and Online Programming (M2O2P), which considers such characteristics and establishes a communication channel with a robot with predefined yet configurable hand gestures. The solution was evaluated within a smart factory use case in the Smart Human Oriented Platform for Connected Factories (SHOP4CF) EU project. The evaluation focused on the effects of the gesture personalization on the perceived workload of the users using NASA-TLX and the usability of the component. The results of the study showed that the personalization of the gestures reduced the physical and mental workload and was preferred by the participants, while overall the workload of the tasks did not significantly differ. Furthermore, the high system usability scale (SUS) score of the application, with a mean of 79.25, indicates the overall usability of the component. Additionally, the gesture recognition accuracy of M2O2P was measured as 99.05%, which is similar to the results of state-of-the-art applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Factory 4.0: Advanced Production and Automation Systems)

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26 pages, 2631 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ontology-Driven Guidelines for Architecting Digital Twins in Factory Automation Applications

by Wael M. Mohammed, Rodolfo E. Haber and Jose L. Martinez Lastra

Machines 2022, 10(10), 861; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines10100861 - 26 Sep 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2839

Abstract

The rapid emerging technologies in various fields permitted the creation of simulation tools. These tools are designed to replicate physical systems in order to provide faster, cheaper and more detailed illustrative analysis of the physical system. In this regard, the concept of digital [...] Read more.

The rapid emerging technologies in various fields permitted the creation of simulation tools. These tools are designed to replicate physical systems in order to provide faster, cheaper and more detailed illustrative analysis of the physical system. In this regard, the concept of digital twins has been introduced to generally define these simulation tools. In fact, and according to the creator of the digital twin term Micheal Grieves, a digital twin is defined as a physical system, a digital replica of the physical system and information flow between the former parts. This definition is simple and generic for describing digital twins and yet, holistic. This broad definition creates a challenge for developers who target the development of such applications. Therefore, this paper presents a paradigm for architecting digital twins for manufacturing processes. The approach is inspired by the definitions of the ISA95 standard and the onion concept of computer applications to create multi-layer and multi-level concepts. Furthermore, and to satisfy the different required features by industries, the approach considers a multi-perspective concept that allows the separation of the digital twin views based on functionality. This paradigm aims at providing a modular, scalable, reusable, interoperable and composable approach for developing digital twins. Then, an implementation of the approach has been introduced using an ontology-based system and the IEC61499 standard. This implementation has been demonstrated on a discrete manufacturing assembly line. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Factory 4.0: Advanced Production and Automation Systems)

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28 pages, 9123 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Vulnerability Evaluation for a Smartphone Digital Twin Workshop under Temporal and Spatial Disruptions

by Ding Zhang, Yu Pei and Qiang Liu

Machines 2022, 10(9), 752; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines10090752 - 31 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1198

Abstract

Dynamic performance analysis is essential for production systems facing random disturbances. In this paper, a vulnerability evaluation approach is proposed for smartphone assembly production systems with finite buffers under a resilient system analytic frame. Firstly, four important vulnerability indicators, namely Terminal Time Delay [...] Read more.

Dynamic performance analysis is essential for production systems facing random disturbances. In this paper, a vulnerability evaluation approach is proposed for smartphone assembly production systems with finite buffers under a resilient system analytic frame. Firstly, four important vulnerability indicators, namely Terminal Time Delay (TTD), Terminal Time Window (TTW), Bottleneck Time Delay (BTD), and Bottleneck Time Window (BTW), are defined to expound temporal and spatial attributes caused by disruptive events. Then, a recursive derivation approach of the queuing network model is presented to obtain a state-transition matrix, wherein machine reliability is also considered in the model. Afterward, the exact solutions of steady and transient vulnerability are evaluated based on state probabilities inference. Finally, numerical studies are carried out to validate the proposed method and translate it into a practical tool. An application program with vulnerability analysis and disturbance control functions is developed, embedded in the digital twin system independently developed by our team to solve practical problems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Factory 4.0: Advanced Production and Automation Systems)

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14 pages, 1945 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Order-Driven Dynamic Resource Configuration Based on a Metamodel for an Unbalanced Assembly Line

by Delian Tang, Junfeng Wang and Xintao Ding

Machines 2022, 10(7), 508; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines10070508 - 23 Jun 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1263

Abstract

Resource-constrained product general assembly lines with complex processes face significant challenges in delivering orders on time. Accurate and efficient resources allocation of assembly lines remain a critical factor for punctual order delivery, full use of resources and associated customer satisfaction in complex production [...] Read more.

Resource-constrained product general assembly lines with complex processes face significant challenges in delivering orders on time. Accurate and efficient resources allocation of assembly lines remain a critical factor for punctual order delivery, full use of resources and associated customer satisfaction in complex production systems. In order to quickly solve the order-based dynamic resource allocation problem, in this paper a metamodel-based, multi-response optimization method is proposed for a complex product assembly line, which has the characteristics of order-based production, long working time of processes, multiple work area re-entry and restricted operator quantity. Considering the complexity of the assembly line and the uncertainty of orders, the correlation between system performance indicators and resource parameters is investigated. Multiple metamodels are constructed by the Response Surface Methodology to predict and optimize the system performance. The adequacy of the constructed metamodels is verified and validated based on the bootstrap resampling method. Under the condition of ensuring the throughput demand of the assembly line, the desirability function is applied to simultaneously optimize the multi-response, and the resource allocation solution is generated. The method in this paper can be used to rapidly adjust the resource configuration of the assembly line when considering the order changes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Factory 4.0: Advanced Production and Automation Systems)

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13 pages, 2667 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Using Digital Twin Documents to Control a Smart Factory: Simulation Approach with ROS, Gazebo, and Twinbase

by Joel Mattila, Riku Ala-Laurinaho, Juuso Autiosalo, Pauli Salminen and Kari Tammi

Machines 2022, 10(4), 225; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines10040225 - 23 Mar 2022

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3951

Abstract

Digital twin documents are expected to form a global network of digital twins, a “Digital Twin Web”, that allows the discovery and linking of digital twins with an approach similar to the World Wide Web. Digital twin documents can be used to describe [...] Read more.

Digital twin documents are expected to form a global network of digital twins, a “Digital Twin Web”, that allows the discovery and linking of digital twins with an approach similar to the World Wide Web. Digital twin documents can be used to describe various aspects of machines and their twins, such as physical properties, nameplate information, and communication interfaces. Digital twin is also one of the core concepts of the fourth industrial revolution, aiming to make factories more efficient through optimized control methods and seamless information flow, rendering them “smart factories”. In this paper, we investigate how to utilize digital twin documents in smart factory communication. We implemented a proof-of-concept simulation model of a smart factory that allowed simulating three different control methods: centralized client-server, decentralized client-server, and decentralized peer-to-peer. Digital twin documents were used to store the necessary information for these control methods. We used Twinbase, an open-source server software, to host the digital twin documents. Our analysis showed that decentralized peer-to-peer control was most suitable for a smart factory because it allowed implementing the most advanced cooperation between machines while still being scalable. The utilization of Twinbase allowed straightforward removal, addition, and modification of entities in the factory. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Factory 4.0: Advanced Production and Automation Systems)

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21 pages, 1328 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Smart Warehouse Management System: Architecture, Real-Time Implementation and Prototype Design

by Muhammad Gufran Khan, Noor Ul Huda and Uzair Khaleeq Uz Zaman

Machines 2022, 10(2), 150; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines10020150 - 18 Feb 2022

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 24156

Abstract

The world has witnessed the digital transformation and Industry 4.0 technologies in the past decade. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of automation and digitalization in certain areas of the manufacturing industry; in particular, warehouse automation often has challenges in design and successful [...] Read more.

The world has witnessed the digital transformation and Industry 4.0 technologies in the past decade. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of automation and digitalization in certain areas of the manufacturing industry; in particular, warehouse automation often has challenges in design and successful deployment. The effective management of the warehouse and inventory plays a pivotal role in the supply chain and production. In the literature, different architectures of Warehouse Management Systems (WMSs) and automation techniques have been proposed, but most of those have focused only on particular sections of warehouses and have lacked successful deployment. To achieve the goal of process automation, we propose an Internet-of-Things (IoT)-based architecture for real-time warehouse management by dividing the warehouse into multiple domains. Architecture viewpoints were used to present models based on the context diagram, functional view, and operational view specifically catering to the needs of the stakeholders. In addition, we present a generic IoT-based prototype system that enables efficient data collection and transmission in the proposed architecture. Finally, the developed IoT-based solution was deployed in the warehouse of a textile factory for validation testing, and the results are discussed. A comparison of the key performance parameters such as system resilience, efficiency, and latency rate showed the effectiveness of our proposed IoT-based WMS architecture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Factory 4.0: Advanced Production and Automation Systems)

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20 pages, 3819 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Advancing Smart Manufacturing in Europe: Experiences from Two Decades of Research and Innovation Projects

by Paul Grefen, Irene Vanderfeesten, Kostas Traganos, Zuzanna Domagala-Schmidt and Julia van der Vleuten

Machines 2022, 10(1), 45; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines10010045 - 7 Jan 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2894

Abstract

In the past two decades, a large amount of attention has been devoted to the introduction of smart manufacturing concepts and technologies into industrial practice. In Europe, these efforts have been supported by European research and innovation programs, bringing together research and application [...] Read more.

In the past two decades, a large amount of attention has been devoted to the introduction of smart manufacturing concepts and technologies into industrial practice. In Europe, these efforts have been supported by European research and innovation programs, bringing together research and application parties. In this paper, we provide an overview of a series of four content-wise connected projects on the European scale that are aimed at advancing smart manufacturing, with a focus on connecting processes on smart factory shop floors to manufacturing equipment on the one hand and enterprise-level business processes on the other hand. These projects cover several tens of application cases across Europe. We present our experiences in the form of a single, informal longitudinal case study, highlighting both the major advances and the current limitations of developments. To organize these experiences, we place them in the context of the well-known RAMI4.0 reference framework for Industry 4.0 (covering the ISA-95 standard). Then, we analyze the experiences, both the positive ones and those including problems, and draw our learnings from these. In doing so, we do not present novel technological developments in this paper—these are presented in the papers we refer to—but concentrate on the main issues we have observed to guide future developments in research efforts and industrial innovation in the smart industry domain. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Factory 4.0: Advanced Production and Automation Systems)

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16 pages, 3937 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Designing and Developing a Smart Yogurt Filling Machine in the Industry 4.0 Era

by Bashir Salah, Ali M. Alsamhan, Sajjad Khan and Mohammed Ruzayqat

Machines 2021, 9(11), 300; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines9110300 - 22 Nov 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4137

Abstract

Industry 4.0 allows for greater flexibility in production processes so that products can be customized (i.e., mass customization). Innovative production techniques in an industrial liquid/yogurt filling machine (YFM) improved efficiency in the beverage industry. In this study, we have introduced the second phase [...] Read more.

Industry 4.0 allows for greater flexibility in production processes so that products can be customized (i.e., mass customization). Innovative production techniques in an industrial liquid/yogurt filling machine (YFM) improved efficiency in the beverage industry. In this study, we have introduced the second phase designed control architecture of our YFM based on the concepts of industry 4.0 incorporating an NFC platform for improving customer satisfaction. Especially during this pandemic period, wireless technologies have been ubiquitous and pervasive for customized products. The basic components of the YFM have been described. High-level control architecture programmed fully automated filling operations, and the design stage of the development of a PFC-based controller for the YFM is elaborated. For the evaluation of the proposed control system, the operations of the electric/pneumatic input devices and actuators were simulated on FluidSIM-MecLab. The results of the simulation verify the design logic of the PFC-based controller. Comparisons were made between different production types using the developing YFM. A complex learning environment replicating a real production system to understand, learn, and apply modern manufacturing approaches has been developed. Through the creation of this YFM, the academic environment and industrial applications are combined. Consequently, the problem verification is becoming more realistic and more efficient than online (trial and error) automation programming. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Factory 4.0: Advanced Production and Automation Systems)

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