Project 413: GNOSIS Knowledge Systematisation - Configuration Management, Flexible Factories, Soft Machines

The project covers the participation of Helsinki University of Technology in the international IMS - Intelligent Manufacturing Systems program. In particular the work belongs to the IMS Test Case 7 - GNOSIS Knowledge Systematisation for Design and Manufacturing and its Work Packages 2-5.

OBJECTIVES

IMS is a global, industry led research and development program in the field of Intelligent Manufacturing Systems. GNOSIS is one of the six test cases and consortiums that were released in order to study the feasibility of collaboration in truly global projects and to develop means for the future full-scale IMS project of ten years time range.

The participation of HUT in the IMS/GNOSIS Test Case was aimed at gaining an access to global collaboration network and establishing new contacts not only for the research groups but moreover for the Finnish industry in the areas of design and manufacturing.

In addition to working towards the full-scale programme and establishing an infrastructure for the consortium, the GNOSIS Test Case set challenging and concrete objectives on the knowledge systematisation theme. Knowledge systematisation is the process that transforms knowledge into an easily disseminated item. With other partners HUT aimed at systematically investigating this process and gaining a better understanding on the future manufacturing paradigm.

In particular HUT aimed at further developing and demonstrating product modelling techniques when taking into consideration the need to present, transfer, and exchange product model knowledge through the whole life-cycle.

RESULTS AND BENEFITS

HUT was the main integrator of the Main Joint Demonstration that combines the software systems of different partners into a chain that corresponds to the design and manufacturing stages of the life-cycle of a product model. The demonstration starts from conceptual design, proceeds through detailed design to product family definition, continues with generative process planning as basis for variant process plans, and goes on until scheduling and simulation of the manufacturing.

From the viewpoint of HUT the research and development highlights of the Main Joint Demonstration and other collaboration include:

The demonstration connects the conceptual design system SYSFUND of the Tokiyama Laboratory at University of Tokyo to the product family model of the MCOES system of HUT. This prototype solution proved that the gap between conceptual and detailed design is not impossible and suggested promising directions for future work.
The co-operation with IPA in manufacturing preparation part of the demonstration proved the necessity to further study the aspects of generative and variant process planning as well as non-liner process planning in order to provide flexibility for scheduling.
The joint demonstration proved the need and feasibility of integrating independently developed systems. University of Calgary developed an approach and prototype system for facilitating such integration with a Mediator intelligent co-ordination network.
Various demonstrations proved that European companies regard configuration modelling as a crucial topic for enhancing their operations. The relationship of capturing product modelling knowledge and definition of configuration models was discovered as a promising direction.
Product life-cycle modelling appears to be the key for managing the information and material flow in a cost-effective manner and for allowing analysis of environmental impact and other aspects of product development decisions.

SCHEDULE AND BUDGET

2/93 ... 3/94, FIM 1,1 million, funding TEKES Basic Research.

3/94 ...12/94 FIM 1,0 million, funding TEKES Basic Research.

CONTACT

Professor Martti Mäntylä;

Helsinki University of Technology

IIA Research Centre

Otakaari 1

02150 Espoo

Finland

tel +358-0-451 3230

fax +358-0-451 3293

PARTNERS

Finland: ABB, Tehdasmallit Oy, Synergy Center Oy, SIMSON, Helsinki University of Technology, VTT, Tampere University of Technology.

Japan: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (primary co-ordinator), Nissan Motors Ltd, Fuji Xerox Ltd, Kajima Corporation, Shimizu Corporation, The University of Tokyo University, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kyushu Institute of Technology.

Germany: MAN Roland, Brose, Fraunhofer Institute IPA.

France: Adepa, Telemechanique, ARM Conseil, IBM, CAP Gemini Sogeti-ITMI Aptor, LLP CESALP

UK: BICC plc, Cambridge University.

Switzerland: EPFL, ETHZ.

Canada: Alberta Research Council, DME University of Calgary, KSI University of Calgary.

USA: Deneb Robotics Inc.

FUTURE ACTIVITIES

The GNOSIS Test Case resulted in a consortium that is convinced about the benefits of global IMS projects and is determined to continue working together towards and in the full scale program. The IMS projects are crucial basis for the global collaboration with such areas as Canada or US and not only Japan, with which HUT already has well established research connections.

Finnish companies find some Japanese GNOSIS partners as promising collaborators and thus the co-operation will continue actively even regardless of the slow decision making of the EU.

HUT submitted two proposals with small focused consortiums to the BRITE/EURAM programme and joined three proposals of GNOSIS work packages that were delivered to the ESPRIT programme. The European GNOSIS network will be a basis for further projects in the European fourth framework.

An extremely important side product of the full scale IMS is a strong domestic network and national strategy. The research groups which will continue to collaborate on topics of common interest as well in national as in international level.

REPORTS, ARTICLES, AND SEMINARS

Technical reports and material

Ranta, Mervi, and Mäntylä, Martti, Main Joint Demonstration of GNOSIS Technical Work Package1, GNOSIS/SIMSON-HUT/TW1/ D/D/30Oct93/C, 37 pages, 1993.
Ranta, Mervi, Laakko, Timo, and Umeda, Yasushi, Connecting Conceptual Design to Part Family Description - Introduction to the Demonstration, GNOSIS/SIMSON-HUT,U-Tokyo/TW1,TW4/ D/V1/1Nov93/C, 5 pages, 1993.
Laakko, Timo, and Ranta, Mervi, Connecting Functional Design to Part Family Description, Part B - MCOES Part, GNOSIS/SIMSON-HUT,U-Tokyo/TW1,TW4/D/V1/20Oct93/C, 25 pages, 1993.
Opas, Jussi, Configuration of Process Planner Knowledge-base and Generation of Non-linear Process Plans, GNOSIS/SIMSON-HUT/ TW3/D/V1/26Oct93/C, 26 pages, 1993.
Gui, Jin-Kang, and Mäntylä, Martti, Delta Report and Handbook, GNOSIS/SIMSON-HUT/TW1/R/D/30Sep93/C, 39 pages, 1993.
Ranta, Mervi, and Laakko, Timo, A set of posters/transparencies on the IMS/GNOSIS objectives and the main joint demonstration, 5 pages of pictures, 1994.
Laakko, Timo, Ranta, Mervi, and Opas, Jussi, A set of transparencies on the main joint demonstration of the IMS/GNOSIS project, 20 pages of pictures, 1994.
Ranta, Mervi, Mäntylä, Martti, Umeda, Yasushi, and Tomiyama, Tetsuo, Integration of functional and feature based product modelling - the IMS/GNOSIS experience, Computer-Aided Design, in press.

Partner reports

Ranta, Mervi, Partner Technical Report of TW1, SIMSON - Helsinki University of Technology, GNOSIS/SIMSON-HUT/TW1/R/D/30Sep93/C, 1993.
Männistö, Tomi, Peltonen, Hannu, and Henriksson, Markus, Partner Technical Report of TW2, SIMSON - Helsinki University of Technology, GNOSIS/SIMSON-HUT/TW2/D/R/30Sep93/P, 1993.
Opas, Jussi, Partner Technical Report of TW3, SIMSON - Helsinki University of Technology, GNOSIS/SIMSON-HUT/TW3/R/D/30Sep93/D, 1993.
Ranta, Mervi, Partner Technical Report of TW4, SIMSON - Helsinki University of Technology, GNOSIS/SIMSON-HUT/TW4/R/D/4Oct93/C, 1993.
Ranta, Mervi, and Mäntylä, Martti, Conclusions of TW1, SIMSON - Helsinki University of Technology, GNOSIS IRM meeting in Grenoble, January 1994.
Ranta, Mervi, and Mäntylä, Martti, Further conclusions of the Main Joint Demonstration of TW1, SIMSON - Helsinki University of Technology, GNOSIS IRM meeting in Grenoble, January 1994.

Seminars

Dr. Yasushi Umeda gave a seminar and an intensive course on the SYSFUND SYSFUND software tool at the Helsinki University of Technology in March 1994.
The work of GNOSIS project has been presented at various domestic meetings such as the FIMET seminar in March 1994 where Professor Martti Mäntylä, Mervi Ranta, and Yasushi Umeda presented demonstrations on the results.
The IMS/GNOSIS project has been introduced to several Finnish companies such as Ahlström, Kone Oy, Nokia Mobile Phones, Nokia Telecommunications, Neles Jamesbury, and Vaisala. These meetings and seminars have clarified topics that Finnish industry sees crucial for the full scale IMS collaboration.
A configuration workshop was arranged 1994 in Switzerland in order to prepare for further co-operation of the GNOSIS partners working on the configuration related topics.
In the spring of 1995 the GNOSIS consortium arranged four dissemination events in Stuttgart, Helsinki, Paris, and Mondragon in order to ensure awareness of GNOSIS and its results throughout Europe.