The Cognitive Factory

M. F. Zaeh, M. Beetz, K. Shea, G. Reinhart, K. Bender, C. Lau, M. Ostgathe, W. Vogl, M. Wiesbeck, M. Engelhard, C. Ertelt, T. Rühr, M. Friedrich, S. Herle

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

62 Scopus citations

Abstract

The automation of processes and production steps is one of the key factors for a cost effective production. Fully automated production systems can reach lead times and quality levels exceeding by far those of human workers. These systems are widely spread in industries of mass production where the efforts needed for setup and programming are amortized by the large number of manufactured products. In the production of prototypes or small lot sizes, however, human workers with their problem solving abilities, dexterity and cognitive capabilities are still the single way to provide the required flexibility, adaptability and reliability. The reason is that humans have brains, computational mechanisms that are capable of acting competently under uncertainty, reliably handling unpredicted events and situations and quickly adapting to changing tasks, capabilities, and environments. The realization of comparable cognitive capabilities in technical systems, therefore, bears an immense potential for the creation of industrial automation systems that are able to overcome today’s boundaries. This chapter presents a new paradigm of production engineering research and outlines the way to reach the Cognitive Factory, where machines and processes are equipped with cognitive capabilities in order to allow them to assess and increase their scope of operation autonomously.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationSpringer Series in Advanced Manufacturing
PublisherSpringer Nature
Pages355-371
Number of pages17
DOIs
StatePublished - 2009

Publication series

NameSpringer Series in Advanced Manufacturing
ISSN (Print)1860-5168
ISSN (Electronic)2196-1735

Keywords

  • Assembly Plan
  • Assembly Sequence Planning
  • Cognitive Capability
  • Cognitive Factory
  • Shape Grammar

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