Abstract
Automatic through autonomous - Unmanned Ground Vehicles (A-UGVs) have the potential to be applied over a wide range of manufacturing systems under industry 4.0 paradigm. In order to use A-UGVs efficiently in a manufacturing system, it is necessary to select the A-UGV suitable for each factory or workplace. A framework for evaluating the A-UGV performance under a specific manufacturing environment is needed. ASTM International Committee F45 has been developing standards2 providing a basis for A-UGV manufacturers and users to compare tasks to the A-UGV capabilities. This paper proposes information models for A-UGV performance measurement along the standards development. The standard needs are analyzed to show how the standard and information model can be used for the introduction of A-UGVs into factories. The information model in this paper provides a structured way to describe the factory elements affecting the A-UGV performance, and the measured A-UGV performances against the factory elements. To validate the proposed information model, an A-UGV performance testbed was built and the information model instance is developed to describe the testbed elements. An A-UGV is tested against the testbed elements and the measured performance is described by the other instance. This paper contributes to mutual understanding, between A-UGV makers and users, to deliver A-UGV performance information efficiently and to provide basis for A-UGVs to be tested under the same conditions.
