Applications of RFID Technology in the Complex Product Assembly Executive Process

Abstract

As we know, a complex product assembly process involves numerous parts, complex processes and high precision demands. But most assembly operation is carried out manually, and on-site assembly data is recorded on paper. Due to lack of advanced technology methods, some shortness exists as follows: a. Because of the asynchrony problem lies between the logistics stream and the information stream, assembly tasks are always assigned prior to materials’ preparation and transportation. Then the need of adjusting assembly task assignments according to materials’ state dynamically can’t be met. b. The associated relationship between materials and assembly tasks can’t be established automatically. Then operators are in charge of determining relationship between them. And parts are often misassembled, especially in the mixed flow production mode. c. The assembly executive process is a collaborative process among different operators and assembly workstations. And the operation order is established on operators’ work habit or spontaneity, which throws impediments in the way of assembly executive process monitoring, controlling and tracing. Although adoption of barcodes can solve these problems to some certain extend, but they are difficult to be read, easy to be destroyed and unable to be rewritten. Therefore, barcode technology can’t meet the need of automatic, fast and smart material identifying. Due to the advantage of non-contact far distance reading/writing, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology can not only make material identifying more convenient, but also turn real-time on-site monitoring into reality. On the other hand, because of the outstanding autonomy and collaboration characters, multi agent technology is widely used in manufacturing resource encapsulation and integration in the agile manufacturing system, manufacturing task scheduling in the collaborative design system, etc. Under this circumstance, if we use the mobile agent technology to dispatch and recall assembly task, and use the RFID technology to identify material automatically, assembly executive process monitoring and controlling dynamically in real time will be enhanced, and misassembling phenomenon will be eliminated furthest. Therefore, based on multi agent technology and RFID technology, this paper aims to propose a complex product