AI Planning Versus Manufacturing-Operation Planning: A Case Study

A l though AI p lann ing techniques can potent ia l l y be useful in several manufac tur ing domains, this potent ia l remains largely unrealized. In order to adapt AI p lanning techniques to manufac tu r ing , i t is impo r tan t to develop more realistic and robust ways to address issues impo r t an t to manufac tur ing engineers. Furthermore, by invest igat ing such issues, AI researchers may he able to discover principles tha t are relevant for AI p lanning in general. As an example, in th is paper we describe the techniques for manufactur ing-operat ion planning used in I M A C S (Interact ive Manufacturab i l i t y Analysis and C r i t i qu ing System), and compare and contrast them w i t h the techniques used in classical AI p lanning systems. We describe how one of I M A C S ' s p lanning techniques may be useful for AI p lanning in general—and as an example, we describe how it helps to expla in a puzzl ing complex i ty result in AI plann ing .