XML-based message services for Internet-enabled, agent-based, intelligent shop floors

During the past decade, the Internet, Web and intelligent agents have been used in attempts to implement distributed intelligent manufacturing systems. Network communication and message services are important aspects for such systems. This paper first introduces a new concept called iShopFloor-an intelligent shop floor based on the Internet, Web and agent technologies. The paper then reports some of our recent work on the implementation of XML-based message services for Internet-enabled, agent-based, intelligent shop floors. The objective is to investigate XML for message exchanges among Internet-enabled shop floor devices that are represented by intelligent agents. The paper discusses the advantages of using XML for message services and presents our initial implementation within the iShopFloor prototype environment. This implementation has demonstrated the following advantages of using XML-based message services on the shop floor: (1) simplification and standardization of message services in Internet-based, intelligent shop floors; (2) facilitation of the integration of an agent-based scheduling system with other intelligent shop floor systems, including Web-based shop floor monitoring and control systems; and (3) possibility of creating data views on the fly. © 2005 IJAM.