Mixed-model assembly lines are increasingly accepted in many industrial environments to meet the growing trend of greater product variability, diversification of customer demands, and shorter life cycles. In this research, a new mathematical model is presented considering balancing a mixed-model U-line and human-related issues, simultaneously. The objective function consists of two separate com...

This paper introduces a method to integrate Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs) into a highly functional manned/ unmanned team through the design and implementation of 3D distributed formation/flight control algorithms with the goal to act as wingmen for a manned aircraft. The proposed algorithms are designed to increase UAS autonomy, dynamically modify formations, utilize standard operating forma...

With the International Space Station being extended to 2020, there is additional emphasis in the manned spaceflight program to find more efficient and effective ways of providing the ground-based mission support. This search for improvement has led to a cross-fertilization between the advanced software development community and the manned spaceflight operations community. Many mission operation...

The Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) community in the United States has identified the need for a “collision avoidance region” in which UAS Detect-and-Avoid (DAA) vertical guidance is restricted to preclude interoperability issues with manned aircraft collision avoidance system vertical resolution advisories (RAs). This paper documents the process by which the collision avoidance region was defi...

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are a promising technology for many areas, including transportation, agriculture, inspection, and rescue missions. However, to enable high level of autonomy, Beyond Visual Line Sight (BVLOS) filght, the drones should be able perform safe landings in unknown areas without an operator. Hence there is need development landing methods autonomous drones. The UAVs can of...

A traditional assembly system-fixed worker line (FW) designed by assigning one operator to each workstation performing an assembly task at that workstation on the line, has some deficiencies, such as low flexibility, constant demand and difficult balancing. A walking-worker line (WW), with an assembly worker travelling with the work along the line, has several advantages over a traditional line...

The availability of automated production lines and data has opened a new opportunity for improving the geometrical quality assemblies by using digital twin in concept smart assembly line. In this concept, is generated from scanned incoming parts each assembly. process then simulated variation simulation tools. Subsequently, optimal parameters are found utilizing optimization algorithms along wi...

Assembly line balancing problems consist in partitioning the work necessary to assemble a number of products among di erent stations of an assembly line. We present a hybrid approach for solving such problems, which combines constraint programming and integer programming.

This paper presents a manned-vehicle/unmanned-aerial-vehicle (UAV) mission system that enables an operator in a manned aircraft to issue mission level commands to an autonomous aircraft in real time. A natural language interface allows the manned and unmanned vehicle to communicate in languages understood by both agents. A task scheduler transforms the commands into a dynamic mission plan consi...

Autonomous mobility technologies may have applications to manned vehicle convoy operations—they have the ability to enhance both system performance and operator capability. This effort examines the potential impact of introducing semi-autonomous mobility [Convoy Active Safety Technologies (CAST)] into manned vehicles. Twelve civilians with experience driving military vehicles in convoy-type ope...