Abstract
This paper presents a novel and generic PC/PLC-based software/hardware architecture for the control of flexible manufacturing workcells. The proposed implementation methodology is based on the utilization of any one of the available formal discrete-event-system control theories in conjunction with state-of-the-art industrial programmable-logic controllers (PLCs). The methodology has been illustrated to be a viable technique through its actual implementation in our laboratory using a robotic-workcell testbed. The specific control theory used is a combination of Extended Moore Automata and Ramadge-Wonham Automata that has been developed by our research group. The modular control software architecture has been developed for MS-Windows environments (running on one PC interfaced to the PLCs) and allows the use of different formal control theories as well as different commercial PLC hardware. The effective graphical user interface provides a transparent programming environment, where users are not expected to have a full knowledge of the formal control theory used.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ariñez, J. F., Benhabib, B. Smith, K. C. and Brandin, B. A. (1993) Design of a PLC-Based supervisory-control system for a manufacturing workcell. The Canadian High Technology Show and Conference, Toronto.
Balemi, S. (1992) Discrete event control of a rapid multiprocesor. 7th IFAC Symposium on Information Control Problems in Manufacturing Technology, Toronto, Canada, pp. 53-58.
Batten, G. L. Jr. (1994) Programmable Controllers: Hardware, Software and Applications, 2nd edn, McGraw-Hill, New York.
Benhabib, B., Chen, C. Y. and Johnson, W. R. (1989) An integrated manufacturing workcell management system. ASME, Journal of Manufacturing Review, 2(4), 266-276.
Bertil, B. A. and Charbonnier, F. E. (1994) The supervisory control of the automated manufacturing system of the AIP. Fourth International Conference on Computer Integrated Manufacturing and Automation Technology, (11), pp. 319-324.
Crispin, A. J. (1990) Programmable logic controllers and their engineering applications, McGraw-Hill, Toronto.
D'Souza, K. A. and Khator, S. K. (1994) A survey of Petri net applications in modeling controls for automated manufacturing systems. Computers in Industry, 24(1), 5-16.
Dilts, D. M. Boyd, N. P. and Hhorms, H. H. (1991) The evolution of control architectures for automated manufacturing systems. SME, Journal of Manufacturing Systems, 10, 79-93.
Duan, N., Kumara, S. R. T. and Madeiros, D. J. (1991) EMM-network model for FMS modeling, simulation and control. Second Annual Conference on AI, Simulation and Planning in High Autonomy Systems, Cocoa Beach, FL, pp. 253-262.
Erickson, K. T. (1996) Programmable logic controllers. IEEE Potentials, 15(1), 14-17.
Fabian, M. and Hellgreen, A. (1998) PLC-based implementation of supervisory control for discrete event systems. IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, Tampa, FL, USA, pp. 3305-3310.
Filer, R. F. and Leinenon, G. (1992) Programmable Controllers and Designing Sequential Logic, Saunders College Publishing, Toronto.
Hopcroft, J. E. and Ullman, J. D. (1979) Introduction to Automata Theory, Languages, and Computation, Addison Wesley, 1979.
Jafari, M. A. and Boucher, T. O. (1994) A rule-based system for generating ladder logic control program for high-level systems model. Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing, 5, 103-120.
Jones, A. H., Uzam M. and Ajlouni, N. (1996) Design of discrete event control systems for programmable logic controllers using t-timed Petri nets. IEEE International Symposium on Computer-Aided Control System Design, 212-217.
Lauzon, S. C., Mills, J. K. and Benhabib, B. (1997) An implementation methodology for the supervisory controller for flexible manufacturing workcells. SME, Journal of Manufacturing Systems, 16(2), 91-101.
Leduc, R. J. and Wonham, W. M. (1995) Discrete event systems modeling and control of a manufacturing testbed. Canadian Conference on Electrical and Computer Engineering, 2(7), 793-796.
Malina, R. J. (1997) Windows NT for soft real-time control. Rockwell Automation White Paper, June 1997.
Michel, G. (1990) Programmable Logic Controllers: Architecture and Applications, John Wiley & Sons, Toronto.
O'Connor, L. (1994) Agile manufacturing in a responsive factory. ASME, Mechanical Engineering, 116(7), 54.
Proth, J. M. and Savi, V. M. (1992) A modular petri nets approach for modeling complex manufacturing systems. 8th International Conference on CAD/CAM, Robotics and Factories of the Future, France, pp. 1783-1790.
Ramadge, P. J. G. and Wonham, W. M. (1987) Supervisory control of a class of discrete event systems. SIAM, Journal of Control and Optimization, 25(1), 206-230.
Ramirez, A. Sriskandarajah, C. and Benhabib, B. (1999) Control of flexible-manufacturing workcells using extended moore automata. IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, Detroit, MI, pp. 120-125.
Ramirez-Serrano, A. and Benhabib, B. (2000) Supervisory control of multi-workcell manufacturing systems with shared resources. IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, San Francisco, CA, pp. 2847-2852.
Ramirez-Serrano, A., Sriskandarajah, C. and Benhabib, B. (2000a) Automata-based modeling and control synthesis for manufacturing workcells with part-routing flexibility. IEEE Transactions on Robotics and Automation, 16(6), 807-823.
Ramirez-Serrano, A., Zhu, S. C. and Benhabib, B. (2000b) Moore automata for the supervisory control of robotic manufacturing workcells. Journal of Autonomous Robots, 9(1), 59-69.
Robinson, D. (1997) The soft option. IEE Review, 43(5), 214.
Sobh, M. and Benhabib, B. (1997) Discrete event and hybrid systems in robotics and automation: an overview. IEEE, Robotics and Automation Magazine, 4(2), 16-19.
Uzam, M., Jones, A. H. and Ajlouni, N. Conversion of Petri net controllers for manufacturing systems into ladder logic diagrams. IEEE Conference on Emerging Technologies and Factory Automation, 2(15), 649-655.
Valavanis, K. P. (1990). On the hierarchical modeling analysis and simulation of flexible manufacturing systems with extended petri nets. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, 20(1), 94-100.
Van Brussel, H., Pen, Y. and Valckenaers, P. (1993) Modeling flexible manufacturing systems based on petri nets. CIRP Annals, Manufacturing Technology, 42(1), 42-47.
Williams, R. A., Benhabib, B. and Smith, K. C. (1996) A DES-theory-based hybrid supervisory control system for manufacturing systems. SME Journal of Manufacturing Systems, 15(2), 71-83.
Zhou, M. and DiCesare, F. (1993) Petri Net Synthesis for Discrete Event Control of Manufacturing Systems, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston.
Zhou, M. and DiCesare, F. (1993) Petri net synthesis for discrete event control of manufacturing systems. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston.
Zhou, M. C. and Rubbi, A. D. (1994) Applications of Petri net methodology to manufacturing systems, in Joshi, B. B. and Smith, J. S. (eds), Computer Control of Flexible Manufacturing Systems, Chapman and Hall, pp. 207-230.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ramirez-Serrano, A., Zhu, S.C., Chan, S.K.H. et al. A hybrid PC/PLC architecture for manufacturing-system control—theory and implementation. Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing 13, 261–281 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016020327884
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016020327884