Search

The paper presented the IEC 61499 based run-to-run controller for chemical mechanical planarization process. Experiments show the needs of adjust the removal rate based on the actual data captured from manufacturing line rather than default values to calculate removal rate for every lot and use removal rate to calculate polish time for the next lot which would be polished next in the polish tool. Two key components of the controller namely removal rate calculation and polish time calculation was developed and the result from both components was captured and analyzed.

Early detection of system failure required continuous monitoring of electro-mechanical system which required embedded prognostics devices. Unfortunately, the current research and industrial solutions do not provide a user friendly and rapidly configurable environment to create 'adaptive microprocessor size with supercomputer performance' embedded solution in order to reduce downtime. Developing a solution for various industrial domains can be too time-consuming because the tools and rapid methods for creating embedded reconfigurable solutions are lacking. In this paper, we present a proof of concept of a rapid configurable embedded development environment using IEC 61499 Functional Blocks. Two test cases, which include an XOR Gate for Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and a PID tank level controller for an ARM based Linux embedded system are used in the paper to discuss the potential of the framework. Finally, a research agenda towards a distributed cluster head/sensor nodes distributed prognostics concept is identified.

This paper focuses on designing and implementing an agent framework for the purposes of electronic prognostics of critical tools and machinery in the plant. It deals with dual communication i.e. one originating from the sensors and relayed to various reception centers and the other originating from an intelligent prognostics engine (IPE) being fed back to the control mechanism (manual/automated) of the machinery. The paper presents the feasibility of deploying agents in embedded and supervisory controllers for collating, managing and communicating information. The conceptual design and prototype model establishes the efficacy of the agent framework in diagnostics as well as prognostics. The framework is developed using Java agent development framework (JADE). This paper concentrates on development of peer agent communication, communication ontologies; agent behaviors based on messaging performatives, integration issues and graphical user interfaces for diverse agents and human interfaces. It also evolves a conceptual agent framework for manufacturing environment. The work can potentially improve reliability: reduce equipment downtime by using intelligence and contextual information from sensors and events. It facilitates the timely availability of the critical data for real-time monitoring and corrective signals, as well as a transparent and rapid configuration mechanism for intelligent monitoring.

To develop advanced manufacturing systems and industrial automation equipment, a distributed control application platform (DCAP) is proposed (A. Aendenroomer et al., 2003). The DCAP can collect data from any device over heterogeneous networks, and control, monitor and optimize the operations of complex plants. Our discussions are focused on only two key components of the DCAP: how to manage heterogeneous devices and how to transmit data and commands among DCAPs. The background is introduced first. The methods employed to manage the heterogeneous devices and transmit commands and data are then discussed. An example is given to illustrate the schemes for designing and implementing a DCAP. Finally, a brief conclusion and future directions are given.

A recently completed collaboration project with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has resulted in a platform for federated control, intended to be deployed in next generation smart equipment or process control. This prototype platform, tentatively named DCAP (distributed control application platform) is designed for developing component-based control applications for federated embedded control systems. Component-based development has been the driving force throughout the development stage of the prototype. Components, distributed in the platform are required to support the skeleton, needed for e.g. remotely enabling or disabling modules, like device drivers (to cater for different hardware) or control algorithms. The underlying technology is COM/DCOM (Component Object Model/distributed COM): this provides sufficient flexibility and reconfigurability to support the skeleton of the platform in such a way that each component-based controller can contain one or more control applications.

With the availability of powerful embedded CPU, it is possible to integrate multiple proprietary devices and field-buses into a system. This paper proposed the CDM (common device model) as a universal model for the devices and field-buses. With the universal interface of CDM, the system could manipulate the data from/to the devices in a universal way. CDM is composed of two parts: common device interface and device drivers. The novel model has been applied for robot control based on the distributed control application platform.

During the development of advanced manufacturing systems and industrial automation equipments, the developer has to consider a lot of Control Applications (CA). There are always growing need, for manufacturers to improve their capacity and flexibility to quickly respond to market requirements by designing novel CAs, modifying legacy ones and integrating them together. In the paper, Distributed Control Application Platform (DCAP) is presented as a control platform for developing CAs of advanced manufacturing systems. The DCAP can collect data over a heterogeneous control network from any device. The DCAP can then control, monitor and optimize the operations of the systems, whether for large and complex plants or for simple and single-user devices. The DCAP provides a software framework and tools to develop and deploy CAs for complex manufacturing systems. With the help of the DCAP, it is easy and fast to build complex control systems. A modular robot based manufacturing work cell system is adopted as a case study and the DCAP is used to develop CAs for the system.

This paper addresses various issues related to design and deployment of a Web-enabled distributed control application platform for industrial automation. The built-in Web functions enable programming and execution of remote control applications through a Web browser. New control applications can be created and existing control applications can be reconfigured and tuned on the fly. A case study is also described.

There is a trend among equipment builders to become more competitive by adding more and more features into their products. This process, which tremendously increases the complexity, is triggered by the aim to reach objectives like high reliability, speed and accuracy. In order to deal with this increasing complexity, SIMTech's manufacturing execution technology (MET) group has stated the objective to define methodologies and trajectories to describe and generate modules that can collaborate in a federated structure to become the archetype of tomorrow's equipment. In line with this, a research program has been started, which aims to deliver a platform for developing and deploying embedded control applications for a federated control environment. This platform is currently at the beginning stage of development, although a few key modules have already been completed or are close to completion, being a "communication broker" (ComBroker) and a "common device interface" (CDI). This paper focuses on the communication broker.

Although numerical machining is normally employed in the mass-production of precision parts, there still exists a significant industry in Singapore that depends on human skill and mediated NC operations to perform component repairs and overhaul, especially for the aerospace industry sector, called turbine overhaul services. The reason is that turbine components are often severely distorted and have to be replaced and repaired after a number of service cycles in high-temperature, high-pressure environment. The repairing process starts with cleaning and covering the defective areas with the braze material. The excessive material is to be removed from distorted or unknown surface within the required tolerance. The process is done manually world wide currently. The key problem here is how to remove excessive material without under cut and over cut on a distorted or unknown surface. To empower the machining system with adaptivity and intelligence, an innovative solution has been developed. The measurement data from an in-situ non-contact measurement sensor is processed, and used to localise the welding/one with excess materials and generate 3D surface. Such a measurement-based, CAD-free approach allows the machining system to be adaptable to distorted or unknown surfaces. The profile measurement strategy, software/hardware architecture, data processing and surface modelling algorithms and results are described and discussed in this paper.

A prototype was developed of a generic platform which can be used for building reconfigurable distributed embedded controllers. The platform provides the tooling for assembling a component-based controller framework for distributed control and for generating Control Applications (CApps), which can run on such a controller and execute certain control functions. The Object Model was used for device drivers, as well as for non-mandatory components and implemented by respectively a Common Device Model (CDM) and a Component Management Model (CMM). By incorporating CDM and CMM into the framework's architecture it is possible to reconfigure the controller by plugging or unplugging components and drivers-remotely and on-the-fly-e.g. to cater for different hardware or to implement different control strategy. A case study, wherein a Distributed Control Application Platform was used to control a robot for production cell simulation, demonstrated the concept of remote configuration and control of applications developed with the platform.

This project aims to analyze and suggest a solution to alleviate the problem of slow and tedious equiment integration process in the semiconductor manufacturing industries. MASTER OF ENGINEERING (EEE)