THE USE OF EXPERT SYSTEMS FOR DECISION SUPPORT IN MANUFACTURING

Recent years have seen major changes within the manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom. The decline of traditional industries coupled with increased competition from abroad and the challenge presented by the removal of European tariff barriers in 1992 have all contributed to a greater awareness of the need for efficiency and flexibility within the United Kingdom manufacturing community. To help meet this challenge, a research initiative to develop the use of expert systems for decision support in manufacturing has been established at Sunderland Polytechnic in Northeast England. The project is a five-year cooperative study between U.K. manufacturing companies and the Polytechnic and is supported by funds from the National Advisory Body. At the end of the third year of the study (June 1990), 20 companies are cooperating in the project with a total of 15 research projects being supported. This article discusses the overall aims, objectives, and strategies behind the research project and presents an overview of some of the important elements of the project.