Intelligent distributed process monitoring and management system

Frankowiak, Marcos R. 2004. Intelligent distributed process monitoring and management system. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.

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Abstract

Monitoring systems represent an important tool to support efforts aimed at improving productivity and quality, reducing waste and enhancing safety in manufacturing. Modern technologies including electronic devices, communication technology, the Internet, database systems and modern computer technology represent resources that can provide flexible and cost accessible attractive and efficient solutions for the implementation of distributed and intelligent monitoring systems. A new generation of microcontrollers offer a high level of integrated devices and operate at low power, making them the ideal choice for many embedded industrial applications. However, the development of application software for microcontroller- based implementations has normally been a restrictive factor. Before this work this has resulted in most process and condition monitoring systems being PC based. This research presents an intelligent and distributed monitoring system based on microcontroller technology, specifically the PIC18C452. The system uses a flexible architecture that can be adapted to the necessities of different monitoring applications. "Monitoring Modules" that can be deployed according to the application requirements were developed. Industrial networks and Internet technologies are employed to enhance communication, therefore allowing monitoring records to be made available in a remote database. The Petri-net concept is used to represent the monitoring task in such a way as to provide independence from the system's hardware and software. Extensions to the original Petri-net theory and new modelling elements, including the acquisition of analogue signals, required to support the use of this method in a microcontroller-based environment, are presented. These enhancements represent a major contribution of this research. Finally, the benefits of the system are considered by means of three application examples a simple Press Rig to illustrate the general features and use of the system, a more complicated Assembly Process Rig to show the flexibility of the modelling approach, and finally a CNC Milling Machine tool changer is used to demonstrate the system in a real manufacturing application.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Engineering
ISBN:	9781303200090
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Last Modified:	09 Nov 2023 10:40
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/55913

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