Design and Implementation of Distributed Scheduling Systems for Complex Manufacturing Processes: a Software Agent-based Perspective

Complex manufacturing systems are characterized by an over time changing product mix, prescribed due dates, a huge number of machines, a large number of routes for a diverse product mix, and internal and external disturbances. We have to take into account these properties in course of designing and implementing scheduling systems, i.e., these systems have to be adapted without large efforts to changing requirements of the manufacturing process. In this paper, we discuss the question how we have to design and construct scheduling systems for the complex manufacturing systems domain. We show that information systems based on software agents are an appropriate way to develop distributed scheduling systems that can adapt to various circumstances of the manufacturing process. Furthermore, we show that agent-based frameworks offer a way to implement the scheduling systems in an efficient manner.