Systematic Creation and Application of Virtual Factory with Object Oriented Concept

This paper proposes a systematic method of creation and application of a virtual factory. Basic definition of a of virtual factory is first given , followed by its foundation principles and architectural overview, and then a systematic method based on object technologies is proposed to create the virtual factory. Specially, for a real manufacturing environment, a corresponding virtual factory can be created via the polymorphism parameterized universal virtual factory with several interactions. The virtual factory can be linked to the real factory and enable simulation-based control by means of the switching architecture we proposed. Its reliable predictions can not only prove the produdion scenarios but also improve the decision making process of acquisition managers in the applications for flexible automated production. The present work is being applied to the experimental robotized flexible assembly system developed by Intelligent bbo t i c s and Automation Laboratory in National Taiwan University.