A hybrid PC/PLC architecture for manufacturing system control-implementation

The 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 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. The effective graphical user interface provides a transparent programming environment