Manufacturing systems of the future: A multi-disciplinary approach

Successful manufacturing systems for the future have to be based on know-how originating from more than the traditional manufacturing domains. Approaches such as Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems, the Agile Assembly Architecture and Holonic Manufacturing Systems go into the right direction; combined with approaches known from Mobile Robotics, Collective Artificial Intelligence and Complexity Science, there is considerable potential for creative solutions to the problems of low volume - high change productions. Systems must be enabled to self-organize, take profit of emergence and become more autonomous. More due to human factors than due to technical reasons, system autonomy and emergence belong to industry's worst nightmares. It is therefore crucial to address this fear while at the same time working on reliable methods and tools.