Systems and methods are described for autonomously recovering a machine comprising one or more modules. An error message from the machine is received and, based on the error message, a first module of the one or more modules to replace is determined, wherein the first module has a first type. An autonomous vehicle is instructed to remove, from the machine, the first module. The autonomous vehicle is instructed to install, at the machine, a second module of the first type.

An automation server accesses a task for a robotic device. The automation server generates motor control commands for the robotic device to complete the task. The automation server transmits, via a network and in a format defined by an Application Program Interface (API), the motor control commands from the automation server to a fleet manager associated with the robotic device, the motor control commands for forwarding from the fleet manager to the robotic device. The automation server receives, from one or more sensors attached to the robotic device and via the network, robotic device sensor data. The automation server receives, from multiple remote sensors and via the network, remote sensor data. The automation server adjusts the generated motor control commands to complete the task based on the robotic device sensor data and the remote sensor data.

In a workplace where a work is performed based on a previously-optimized work schedule, a decrease in productivity can be prevented while interference between a plurality of work subjects is avoided. A schedule management unit is configured to calculate a first margin time from an end time of a first work to a start time of a second work, the first work being allocated to a time period including a current time in the work schedule of a first work subject, the second work being scheduled next to the first work in the work schedule. When an interference condition is satisfied and the first margin time is longer than a specific reference time, the schedule management unit instructs the first work subject to take action of avoiding the second work subject.

Systems and methods are described for autonomously recovering a machine comprising one or more modules. An error message from the machine is received and, based on the error message, a first module of the one or more modules to replace is determined, wherein the first module has a first type. An autonomous vehicle is instructed to remove, from the machine, the first module. The autonomous vehicle is instructed to install, at the machine, a second module of the first type.

An interface integration method of AGV job automatic scheduling system and MES system includes an AGV job automatic scheduling system unit, an MES system unit and a data transmission and processing unit. The data transmission and processing unit performs interface integration through a data dictionary which includes multiple data sets. Based on the standardized data dictionary integration method, the relevant data in the manufacturing process in the factory are classified and stored in the above-mentioned multiple data sets, respectively, which can greatly reduce the non-standard customization characteristics of data that need to be mutually integrated when the interface of the MES system unit is integrated with the interface of the AGV job automatic scheduling system unit, thereby facilitating the seamless and standardized integration of the MES system and the AGV system in the manufacturing process in digital workshops or smart factories, and enabling interconnection and interoperability.

The production planning apparatus includes a memory configured to store, with respect to each of a plurality of process steps included in a production process for producing predetermined articles, the number of resources for setup step that are available for a setup step in which setup for performing work of the process step is performed and a processor configured to determine, on the basis of the number of the resources for setup step, among the resources for setup step, resources that are allocated to the setup steps of respective ones of the plurality of process steps in such a way that a total of required times required for the setup steps of respective ones of the plurality of process steps is minimized.

The production planning apparatus includes a memory configured to store, with respect to each of a plurality of process steps included in a production process for producing predetermined articles, the number of resources for setup step that are available for a setup step in which setup for performing work of the process step is performed and a processor configured to determine, on the basis of the number of the resources for setup step, among the resources for setup step, resources that are allocated to the setup steps of respective ones of the plurality of process steps in such a way that a total of required times required for the setup steps of respective ones of the plurality of process steps is minimized.

A processing indicating device to improve the efficiency of processing on an object. The device includes a first communication unit which communicates information with a plurality of processing devices for processing the object and a second communication unit which communicates information with a conveyance controlling device controlling conveying of the object to the plurality of processing devices. An arrival time predicting unit predicts on the basis of information received by the second communication unit, the time when the conveying device arrives at one of the processing devices. In addition, a finish time predicting unit receives information and predicts the time when the processing on the object in the one processing device finishes. A processing indicating unit causes processing control information that orders the execution of device state improvement treatment to be transmitted to the one processing device on the basis of the predicted respective times.

A multi-robot collaboration method in a flexible hardware production workshop is provided, by which allocation of workpiece machining tasks and transfer of workpieces in different workstations can be achieved and meanwhile relatively high calculation cost is avoided. According to the method, a distributed collaboration method is fully used, and in allusion to the current technical condition, the allocation of the workpiece machining tasks and the transfer of the workpieces in different workstations can be achieved and meanwhile the relatively high calculation cost is avoided. A multi-AGV path conflict eliminating method is used for avoiding possible collision of AGVs during movement. A centralized intervention and adjustment method is used for discovering and predicting system conflicts and failure problems and making timely dispatching and adjustment so as to improve the automation level and the flexibility level of a hardware workshop.

A controller arrangement for controlling an industrial robot that includes a robot controller and a robot manipulator, the controller arrangement comprising: the robot controller; an external controller for the industrial robot; a wireless data link between the external controller and the industrial robot; and a quality of service (QOS) monitor configured to assign responsibility to the external controller while the QoS of the wireless data link is above a QoS threshold, and to the robot controller while the QoS is below the QoS threshold.