An approach to task scheduling in an end-of-line quality assurance situation with human-robot cooperation

Abstract

In zero defect manufacturing, final inspection and rework activities play an important role. Such an end-of-line process has particular characteristics that pose difficulties in scheduling rework activities. In order to achieve zero defect, a workpiece may have to undergo inspection and rework multiple times. Neither the number of rework cycles nor the duration of rework activities can be reliably predicted. In this paper, an agent-oriented approach for managing a mixed human-robot team to perform final inspection and rework is presented. The task assignment to workers and robots takes place according to a concept of agents “pulling” tasks to be performed by either a worker or a robot (such as a rework operation) from a pool of currently available work. This selection is guided by the principle of human initiative – human workers indicate when they are ready to perform a next task. This and other ergonomic considerations are introduced in the task scheduling and assignment process through particular heuristics.