Abstract: A multi agent approach is presented for solving a distributed
process planning problem for a distributed net-worked enterprise.
A net-worked distributed enterprise is made-up of a factory and
a group of sub-factories that belong to the same company. An
order received by the factory is decomposed into sub-tasks that
are assigned to the sub-factories to prepare process plans. The
process plans prepared by the sub-factories indicate what can be
achieved. The factory assesses them if they are optimal before
the tasks are assigned. The agents take the place of real
entities in process planning in order to facilitate the process
planning activity. To monitor the task processing in all the
sub-factories, a work-flow system that employs and electronic
form is used for each sub-factory agent to enter its planning
details and sign out once it has completed its task.
Key words: Distributed
process planning Distributed net-worked enterprise Multi-agent Workflow
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This project
is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China and
National 863/CIM High-tech Development Foundation of China (9846-003, 59785006)
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