Transfer learning of state-based potential games for process optimization in decentralized manufacturing systems

Abstract: This paper presents a novel transfer learning approach in state-based potential games (TL-SbPGs) for enhancing distributed self-optimization in manufacturing systems. The approach focuses on the practical relevant industrial setting where sharing and transferring gained knowledge among similar-behaved players improves the self-learning mechanism in large-scale systems. With TL-SbPGs, the gained knowledge can be reused by other players to optimize their policies, thereby improving the learning outcomes of the players and accelerating the learning process. To accomplish this goal, we develop transfer learning concepts and similarity criteria for players, which offer two distinct settings: (a) predefined similarities between players and (b) dynamically inferred similarities between players during training. We formally prove the applicability of the SbPG framework in transfer learning. Additionally, we introduce an efficient method to determine the optimal timing and weighting of the transfer learning procedure during the training phase. Through experiments on a laboratory-scale testbed, we demonstrate that TL-SbPGs significantly boost production efficiency while reducing power consumption of the production schedules while also outperforming native SbPGs.