Computer Integrated Manufacturing Iccim 91 Manufacturing Enterprises Of The 21st Century Proceedings Of The International Conference

Since the first edition of this book, the literature on fitted mesh methods for singularly perturbed problems has expanded significantly. Over the intervening years, fitted meshes have been shown to be effective for an extensive set of singularly perturbed partial differential equations. In the revised version of this book, the reader will find an introduction to the basic theory associated with fitted numerical methods for singularly perturbed differential equations. Fitted mesh methods focus on the appropriate distribution of the mesh points for singularly perturbed problems. The global errors in the numerical approximations are measured in the pointwise maximum norm. The fitted mesh algorithm is particularly simple to implement in practice, but the theory of why these numerical methods work is far from simple. This book can be used as an introductory text to the theory underpinning fitted mesh methods.

Reactive scheduling is concerned with monitoring and controlling the execution of predictive schedules and making any changes required to bring them in line with unanticipated events or disturbances happening in real time. Whilst predictive scheduling has been a focus of research for many years, it is only recently that explicit attention has been given to the specific problems of reactive scheduling and the relationship between the two.This publication explores the scope and status of both existing and potential approaches to reactive scheduling. Concentration is centred on knowledge-based approaches as the importance of domain knowledge, whether stored in computers or in the brains of experienced schedulers, is becoming increasingly apparent. Contributions examine a variety of approaches ranging from reactive scheduling decision support frameworks in which the knowledge comes mainly from the human, through to completely new approaches to automated reactive scheduling such as neural networks.The book will be of particular interest to researchers, students and engineers involved in the manufacturing and software development industries. In addition to providing a significant reference volume, it also aims to stimulate increased discussion in this emerging field.

This six-volume set presents cutting-edge advances and applications of expert systems. Because expert systems combine the expertise of engineers, computer scientists, and computer programmers, each group will benefit from buying this important reference work. An "expert system" is a knowledge-based computer system that emulates the decision-making ability of a human expert. The primary role of the expert system is to perform appropriate functions under the close supervision of the human, whose work is supported by that expert system. In the reverse, this same expert system can monitor and double check the human in the performance of a task. Human-computer interaction in our highly complex world requires the development of a wide array of expert systems. Key Features * Expert systems techniques and applications are presented for a diverse array of topics including: * Experimental design and decision support * The integration of machine learning with knowledge acquisition for the design of expert systems * Process planning in design and manufacturing systems and process control applications * Knowledge discovery in large-scale knowledge bases * Robotic systems * Geograhphic information systems * Image analysis, recognition and interpretation * Cellular automata methods for pattern recognition * Real-time fault tolerant control systems * CAD-based vision systems in pattern matching processes * Financial systems * Agricultural applications * Medical diagnosis

The IFAC TC on Manufacturing, Modelling, Management and Control (MIM) was founded on the IFAC World Congress Sydney 1993. The goals of this workshop concerned the development, comparison and classification of formal models in the field of Computer Integrated Manufacturing Systems in a descriptive as well as prescriptive way. Computer Integrated Manufacturing Systems are able to integrate optimization methods, simulation models, procedures and knowledge-based tools. The target for the workshop activities were related to the specification of requirements for new models which are used in simulating and designing manufacturing management and control strategies, including discrete-event and continuous representations. Technical areas of interest, at the system level, included: tools for plant layout design, process planning, production planning and control. Technical areas of interest, at the component level, included: models for functional description of flexible manufacturing and assembly systems oriented to production activity control, process supervision and maintenance.