The development of an agent-based distributed surface machining system

Abstract

This paper focuses on the development of an agent-based intelligent distributed surface machining system structure through traditional manufacturing engineering activity analysis and systematic software engineering method. The advantages of a distributed system structure include ease of manipulation, high expandability, flexibility and the achievement towards the goal of networked manufacture. The proposed system has presented the feasibility in applying software agent-based technology in constructing a distributed freeform surface machining environment. Several agents have been developed in the proposed system: (1) preliminary evaluation agent, (2) sophisticated evaluation agent, and (3) post processor agent. Preliminary evaluation agent is in evaluation on the surface machining based on surface curvatures. Sophisticated evaluation agent could be accessed if the surface could not be machined by three axis milling machine based on the calculation results from preliminary evaluation, this agent can suggest either four or five axis machine that could be applied for the surface milling operation based on visibility cone. Post processor agent takes care of generation of the NC codes for milling operation. This agent can also convert five-axis NC codes among different five-axis milling machines when the machine's mechanism could be defined. These agents communicate via pre-defined performatives underlying knowledge query and manipulation language (KQML) for the surface machining capability. The developed system has then been successfully implemented in forming a distributed shoe surface machining system. This means agent technology is very promising in enhancing the communication of a distributed system to be able to communicate with higher level knowledge rather than only in remote function call through platform independent networking architecture.