MAC approach concept for virtual manufacturing networks generating

Abstract

This paper presents the analysis of an approach to the problem Virtual Manufacturing (VM) networks coordinating utilizing some concepts from the area of artificial intelligence. VM network consists of group of manufacturers and their resources that are flexible utilized to fulfill the common manufacturing task. In the proposed paper it is analyzed the problem of coordinating such VM network using the multi-agent system (MAS) concept and the multiple ant colony (MAC) approach. In the presented concept the agents are defined as virtual ants in the MAC approach. Results obtained during simulation tests let to determine main advantages of this approach.