Machine learning is concerned with enabling computer programs automatically to improve their performance at some tasks through experience. Manufacturing is an area where the application of machine learning can be very fruitful. However, little has been published about the use of machine learning techniques in the manufacturing domain. This paper evaluates several machine learning techniques and examines applications in which they have been successfully deployed. Special attention is given to inductive learning which is among the most mature of the machine learning approaches currently available. The paper concludes with a summary of some of the key research issues in machine learning.

Knowledge-based manufacturing within the extended enterprise

Berend Denkena, Peer-Oliver Woelk, Rene Apitz

Institute
of Production Engineering and Machine Tools (IFW), Hannover Center of
Production Technology, University of Hannover, Germany