Applications of artificial intelligence in factory management

Aspects of introducing AI-based technology to the manufacturing and administrative tasks encountered on the factory floor are discussed. In particular, it is indicated that the AI program has to be linked to the factory management or control system that contains the relevant shop floor data; this is usually not a trivial task. When AI technology is introduced to a factory floor, it is perceived as new, even in a factory environment where the introduction of new processing equipment or procedures is routine. Nonroutine newness on a factory floor is received with skepticism. For illustrative purposes, scheduling is used as the main application example. Attention is given to three issues: (1) integrating the AI program with the conventional technology needed for scheduling a factory; (2) support and training for AI applications, software, and hardware in a production environment; and (3) getting over the hurdle of introducing change in a production environment and making AI acceptable to factory managers