Biomimetic autonomous factories. Autonomous manufacturing systems and systems software

The current work in flexible manufacturing systems (FMSs) points out a need of considering the biological manufacturing system of the cell in order to gain some knowledge to build a new generation of manufacturing systems. This paper is an attempt in that direction. The paper proposes a framework for studying autonomous manufacturing systems, and under such a framework develops an unified view toward unicellular organisms and autonomous manufacturing systems. It also proposes a conceptual model of autonomous manufacturing that covers both biological systems and human made FMSs, and restates the central dogma of genetics as central dogma of flexible manufacturing. The paper also considers the higher level of control systems of the cell as cell operating system, and proposes some possible explanations for some not yet understood phenomena in molecular genetics in terms of systems software. A discussion concerning the usefulness of this approach is also provided