Formal specification of a multi-agent system architecture for manufacture:the contribution of the pi-calculus

We first recall the interest of multi-agent systems (MAS) in computer-aided production engineering. We argue that the notion of agent needs to be clar ified and that MAS architectures must consequently be subject to formal des criptions. Concurrent specification languages, such as process calculi, can be regarded as suitable models for this purpose. The pi -calculus is there fore introduced through its syntax and an informal description of its seman tic. We then support the idea that this calculus fulfils the requirements f or MAS architecture description, especially the aspects related to the inte ractions between agents. Then, we focus on the Supply Chain Management prob lem: two agents and their sub-components are specified using the pi -calcul us. After a short evaluation of the proposed method, we end by pointing out the potential applications and some areas of research related to our appro ach. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.