Emulation in Manufacturing Engineering Processes
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Proceedings of the 2008 Winter Simulation Conference S. J. Mason, R. R. Hill, L. Mönch, O. Rose, T. Jefferson, J. W. Fowler eds. EMULATION IN MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING PROCESSES Hironori Hibino Yoshiro Fukuda Technical Research Institute Systems Design Dept. JSPMI Hosei University (Japan Society for the Promotion of Machine Industry) 1-1-12, Hachiman, Higashikurume, Tokyo, JAPAN 2-17-1, Fujimi, Chiyoda, Tokyo, JAPAN ABSTRACT formation technologies (Hibino 2007). However as there are many limitations concerning simulation applications In our research, the manufacturing system emulation tech- for many evaluation activities in the manufacturing engi- nology is proposed as one of the frontloading methods in neering processes, it is necessary to extend the range of the manufacturing system implementation phase. In this simulation applications through the manufacturing engi- paper, the roles of the manufacturing system emulation neering processes. Particularly, industries need simulation technology in manufacturing engineering processes are technology advances in the manufacturing system imple- summarized based on our analysis for the typical manufac- mentations phase. turing engineering processes. The manufacturing system In our research, the manufacturing system emulation emulation environment (MSEE) to implement the manu- technology is proposed as one of the frontloading methods facturing system emulation is proposed and developed. in the manufacturing system implementation phase. In this MSEE consists of our developed manufacturing cell emu- paper, the roles of the manufacturing system emulation lator, our developed soft-wiring system, and the industrial technology in manufacturing engineering processes are network middleware which is one of the semi-standard summarized based on our analysis for typical manufactur- middlewares. The validation of our proposed environment ing engineering processes. The manufacturing system emu- was carried out through a case study. lation environment (MSEE) to implement the manufactur- ing system emulation is proposed and developed. MSEE 1 INTRODUCTION consists of our developed manufacturing cell emulator, our developed soft-wiring system, and the industrial network Industry needs to design and make new products for the middleware which is one of the semi-standard middlewares. market in rapid succession, as it is becoming harder to The validation of our proposed environment was carried keep the high value of a product in the market as a long out through a case study. seller. It is important for manufacturing systems to be es- tablished with flexibility, scalability and reconfigurability 2 THE EMULATION IN MANUFACTURING (Mehrabi, Ulsoy, and Koren 2000; Molina, Rodriguez, ENGINEERING PROCESS Ahuett, Cortes, Ramirez, Jimenez, and Martinez 2005). It is also important to reduce the lead-time for manufacturing Firstly, the terms of manufacturing system simulation, engineering processes from the manufacturing system de- manufacturing system emulator, and manufacturing system sign phase to the manufacturing system implementation emulation are defined as follows. phase (Hibino and Fukuda 2006; Hibino, Inukai, and Fu- 1. Manufacturing system simulation means to create cer- kuda 2006; Fukuda 2003). One of the solutions to realize tain conditions of manufacturing systems by means of these requirements is the front-loading method, which models. One of the main purposes of the manufactur- finds problems in advance and solves the problems at an ing system simulation is to evaluate materials flow and earlier phase in the manufacturing engineering processes information flow. A simulation is executed while pay- while limiting wasteful periods to the minimum by reduc- ing attention to particular events of interest which oc- ing the number of times needed to go back and refine the cur at an instant, such as equipment start, equipment design (Hibino 2007). The front-loading method using stop and so on. Figure 1 shows an outline of the manu- simulation technologies has attracted the attention of in- facturing system simulation. dustries with the advance of technologies such as computer calculation performance and three-dimensional CAD in- 978-1-4244-2708-6/08/$25.00 ©2008 IEEE 1785 Hibino and Fukuda 2. A manufacturing system emulator is a device or piece Modeling New Mfg. Sys. Indicates relationships of software that enables a program or an item of System between elements Design Element equipment intended for one type of computer or Sub-system equipment to be used with exactly the same results Modeling with another type of computer or equipment. Simulation 3. Manufacturing system emulation means that under a condition where parts of equipment, control programs, and manufacturing management applications are not provided in a manufacturing system, a manufacturing Mfg. Sys. Simulator Optimum system operates by mixing and synchronizing the solution Evaluation manufacturing system emulators, real equipment, real controllers, and management applications. Figure 2 Engineering Activity Virtual Factory shows an outline of the manufacturing system emula- Figure 1: Manufacturing System Simulation tion. Based on our analysis for the typical manufacturing Modeling Indicates relationships engineering processes, manufacturing systems are estab- System between elements lished through four phases. Figure 3 shows the typical Element manufacturing engineering processes. Sub-system Phase 1: This phase is the planning phase to define fun- Emulation damental manufacturing requirements such as target New Mfg. Sys. Emulator production volumes, location and so on. Design Phase 2: This phase is the manufacturing system design Modeling phase to fix manufacturing specifications such as the I/F numbers of equipment needed, layout, manufacturing Equipment or Device management as with the Kanban system and so on. Kanban Reader Conveyer Controller Phase 3-1: This is a period prior to the manufacturing Robot PLC O/P Management. Appl. system implementation phase. In this period, engineers Optimum Prd. Control appli. implement hardware such as special machines, transfer solution machines, and software such as ladder programs, robot Evaluation programs, operation panels, and production control pro- Engineering Activity Virtual Factory grams. Figure 2: Manufacturing System Emulation Product’s Design Simulation Phase1:Planning Mfg. Sys. Planning Hardware Implementation Software Implementation Phase2: Mfg. Sys. Design Real Device Software for Controller, Mfg. Sys. Design Real Equipment Development Management Appl. Going back to previous phase separately Phase3-1 Mfg. Sys. Imple. Ladder program Implementation Robot Bar code reader Robot program (Hardware, Software) Machining Transfer machine Operation panel Conveyor Special Machining Production Control program Going back to previous phase Phase 3-2 Mfg. Sys. Trial Operation Evaluation (cell level) Evaluation (area level) ・Gathering real devices and software together in the real plant. ・Adjusting real devices and software in the real plant. Phase 4: Mfg. Sys. Exec. ・If the delivery of the hardware is late, it is not possible to evaluate the software. ・ Execution If problems occur in this phase, it is necessary to go back to the previous phases. ・The problems are usually fatal and sometimes cause a delay of production. Figure 3: Typical Manufacturing Engineering Process 1786 Hibino and Fukuda Phase 3-2: This is a later period of the manufacturing Therefore as industries need suitable simulation tech- system implementation phase. In this period, in order to nology advances in this phase, methods to partially operate undertake the manufacturing system trial operations, en- hardware execution and software execution and to accu- gineers partially operate hardware execution and soft- rately evaluate their executions from the viewpoints of ware execution and accurately evaluate their executions manufacturing systems have not been developed. For ex- from the viewpoints of the manufacturing systems. ample, methods to evaluate the facility control programs Phase 4: This phase is the actual manufacturing system for equipment, such as ladder programs for PLC, while execution phase. mixing and synchronizing real equipment and virtual fac- tory models on the computers have not been developed. In phase 1 and phase 2, a manufacturing system simu- This difficulty has hindered precise and rapid support of a lator plays an important role in designing and evaluating manufacturing engineering process. Consequently the lead- manufacturing systems by using a virtual factory model time is not reduced. To solve this difficulty, it is necessary (Hibino, Fukuda, Fujii, Kojima, Mitsuyuki, and Yura 1999; to develop manufacturing system emulation. Using manu- Hibino, Fukuda, Yura, Mitsuyuki, and Kaneda 2002; facturing system simulation and manufacturing system Mitsuyuki, Kojima, Douba, Fukuda, and Arai 2004; Wil- emulation, each phase can be evaluated in advance as pre- liams and Celik 1998). evaluation. Figure 4 shows the proposed manufacturing In phase 3-1, engineers separately develop hardware such engineering processes using the manufacturing system as robots and special machining devices, and software such simulation and the manufacturing system emulation. as ladder programs and production control programs. Then they independently evaluate their developed hardware or 3 THE MANUFACTURING CELL EMULATION software in their place. In phase 3-2, the developed hard- ENVIRONMENT ware or software is gathered together and adjusted in