Intelligent Energy Field Manufacturing (EFM)

The nature of manufacturing is using information to control energy field in order to convert material into useful configurations, products, and systems. One way to view manufacturing differently is to explore it from the perspective of energy fields. In this paper, the origination and the evolution of Energy Field Manufacturing (EFM) and the concept of a dynamic M-PIE (Material-Process-Information-Energy) model of manufacturing are reviewed. The generality of energy fields and the importance of re-thinking of traditional and non-traditional manufacturing are discussed. Giving a general definition to intelligence, this paper further broadens the methodology of EFM to Intelligent EFM, which incorporates the ability to gather, interpret and use the information in energy fields, materials and systems in a systematic way. This paper further discusses the meaning and tasks of Intelligent EFM research. A systematic approach of energy field integration and optimization is proposed. Finally, representative processes are reviewed to highlight some principles of Intelligent EFM.