Energy-Saving Control in Multistage Production Systems Using a State-Based Method

Manufacturers are pursuing energy-efficient production in response to the fluctuating energy price, growing global competition, rigorous international laws, and severe environmental crisis. This article proposes to boost the energy efficiency of production systems by controlling the production. It extends the existing energy-saving control research by presenting integrated modeling, analyzing, and controlling approaches. The work starts from the modeling of the production systems and establishes an analytical model to systematically quantify the production loss resulted from energy-saving control and the various disruptions. A dynamic control algorithm is proposed to reduce energy consumption and maintain desirable productivity. Simulation studies are utilized to demonstrate the application of the proposed method and verify its effectiveness.