Multi-agent-based control model of laser welding flexible manufacturing system

Existing modeling frameworks for manufacturing control can be classified into hierarchical framework and heterarchical framework. The two modeling frameworks have some drawbacks which can't be overcome only depending on them. In this paper, in order to improve the performance of the laser welding flexible manufacturing system (LWFMS) we have developed a hybrid modeling framework which has the features of the hierarchical and the heterarchical framework. The LWFMS contains several robots and many workstations which work together to realize a common goal. There exists coordination and cooperation among the different robots and workstations so the multi-agent technology is adopted in the LWFMS. In the end, the simulation result of the hybrid control framework in the LWFMS testifies the validity of the model.