An agent-based industrial cyber-physical system deployed in an automobile multi-stage production system

Industrial Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) are promoting the development of smart machines and products, leading to the next generation of intelligent production systems. In this context, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is posed as a key enabler for the realization of CPS requirements, supporting the data analysis and the system dynamic adaptation. However, the centralized Cloud-based AI approaches are not suitable to handle many industrial scenarios, constrained by responsiveness and data sensitivity. Edge Computing can address the new challenges, enabling the decentralization of data analysis along the cyber-physical components. In this context, distributed AI approaches such as those based on Multi-agent Systems (MAS) are essential to handle the distribution and interaction of the components. Based on that, this work uses a MAS approach to design cyber-physical agents that can embed different data analysis capabilities, supporting the decentralization of intelligence. These concepts were applied to an industrial automobile multi-stage production system, where different kinds of data analysis were performed in autonomous and cooperative agents disposed along Edge, Fog and Cloud computing layers. © 2020, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.