Understanding Autonomous Cooperation and Control in Logistics : The Impact of Autonomy on Management, Information, Communication and Material Flow

Autonomous co-operation addresses the control problem of logistic processes characterized by dynamical changing parameters and complex system behaviour. During control procedures erratic, non-predictable changes of parameters can occur. Therefore, future planning and control has to face severe and vital uncertainties. Conventional hierarchical systems are amplifying these difficulties because of the additional time delay of information transfer and additional calculation time. On the other hand, autonomous co-operation enables logistic objects (e.g. a single container) in decentralized structures to collect and evaluate information simultaneously to any event of change, so that they can render and execute decisions on their own. Therefore, this book aims to give a profound understanding of autonomous co-operation and to examine its potentials to increase the robustness and positive emergence of logistic processes substantially. Front Matter....Pages I-XXVIII Changing Paradigms in Logistics — Understanding the Shift from Conventional Control to Autonomous Cooperation and Control....Pages 1-16 Perspectives on Initial Ideas and Conceptual Components of Autonomous Cooperation and Control....Pages 17-22 Prologue to Autonomous Cooperation — the Idea of Self-Organisation as its Basic Concepts....Pages 23-44 Historical Development of the Idea of Self-Organisation in Information and Communication Technology....Pages 45-56 Catalogue of Criteria for Autonomous Control in Logistics....Pages 57-72 Business Process Modelling of Autonomously Controlled Production Systems....Pages 73-83 Strategic Decisions for Autonomous Logistics Systems....Pages 85-101 Autonomous Units: Basic Concepts and Semantic Foundation....Pages 103-120 Mathematical Models of Autonomous Logistic Processes....Pages 121-138 Autonomous Decision Model Adaptation and the Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows and Uncertain Demand....Pages 139-161 Approaches to Methods of Autonomous Cooperation and Control for the Management-, Information- and Communication-Layer of Logistics....Pages 163-167 Self-Organization in Management Science....Pages 169-192 Autonomous Cooperation — A Way to Vitalize Organizations?....Pages 193-206 Self-Organization Concepts for the Information- and Communication Layer of Autonomous Logistic Processes....Pages 207-213 Distributed Knowledge Management in Dynamic Environments....Pages 215-231 Proactive Knowledge-Based Risk Management....Pages 233-254 Autonomy in Software Systems....Pages 255-273 Specifying Adaptive Business Processes within the Production Logistics Domain — A new Modelling Concept and its Challenges....Pages 275-294 Approaches to Methods of Autonomous Cooperation and Control and Examples for the Material Flow Layer....Pages 295-301 Evaluation of Autonomous Logistic Processes — Analysis of the Influence of Structural Complexity....Pages 303-324 Autonomous Control by Means of Distributed Routing....Pages 325-335 Dynamic Transport Reference Scenarios....Pages 337-350 Autonomously Controlled Storage Allocation on an Automobile Terminal....Pages 351-363 Intelligent Containers and Sensor Networks Approaches to apply Autonomous Cooperation on Systems with limited Resources....Pages 365-392 Transport Scenario for the Intelligent Container....Pages 393-404 Back Matter....Pages 405-417

one Of The Great Challenges In Flexible Production And Supply Chains Is The Availability Of Necessary Information At Any Time And Any Place. As A Result Of Increasing Dynamical And Structural Complexity Of Structures And Processes In Production It Is Often Impossible To Make All Necessary Information Available To A Central Instance In Real Time And To Perform Appropriate Measures Of Control In Terms Of A Defined Target System. A Fast And Flexible Adaptation To Changing Basic Conditions Ought To Be Achieved By Establishing Autonomous Logistics Processes.

in This Context Several Fundamental Questions Concerning Autonomous Cooperating Logistics Processes Were Investigated:

the Identification Problem: What Are Autonomous Logistics Processes And How Do They Differ From Conventionally Managed Processes?

the Description Problem: Which Changes Will Autonomy Cause In Order Processing?

one Of The First Results Is A Definition For The Term Autonomy For Applications In Engineering Science. The Constituent Characteristics Of This Definition Were Considered Within The Development Of The Catalogue Of Criteria In Order To Describe Autonomous Logistic Processes. Regarding The Modelling Of Autonomous Processes, First Requirements For Modelling Methods Were Specified. To Validate The Research Results, A Production-logistic Shop-floor Scenario And A Practical Scenario Based On The Real Business Processes Of An Automobile Terminal Were Developed. Simulation Studies Concerning Autonomously Controlled Allocation Of Parking Areas Document Comprehensive Opportunities For Improvement.

One of the great challenges in flexible production and supply chains is the availability of necessary information at any time and any place. As a result of increasing dynamical and structural complexity of structures and processes in production it is often impossible to make all necessary information available to a central instance in real time and to perform appropriate measures of control in terms of a defined target system. A fast and flexible adaptation to changing basic conditions ought to be achieved by establishing autonomous logistics processes. In this context, several fundamental questions concerning autonomous cooperating logistics processes were investigated: The identification problem - What are autonomous logistics processes and how do they differ from conventionally managed processes? The description problem - Which changes will autonomy cause in order processing? One of the first results is a definition for the term autonomy for applications in engineering science. The constituent characteristics of this definition were considered within the development of the catalogue of criteria in order to describe autonomous logistic processes.; Regarding the modelling of autonomous processes, first requirements for modelling methods were specified. To validate the research results, a production-logistic shop-floor scenario and a practical scenario based on the real business processes of an automobile terminal were developed. Simulation studies concerning autonomously controlled allocation of parking areas document comprehensive opportunities for improvement