Interactively configurable framework for industrial agents

Currently many companies that deliver automation equipment intend to grade up their products by providing enhanced e-services like remote maintenance, remote diagnosis or remote consulting. Software agents are an adequate approach to realize these tasks, however, available agent frameworks lack satisfactory support for this domain. In this paper we present the specific requirements for agents in industrial environments and derive a solution consisting of a specialized agent framework, and appropriate design methodology. Further, we provide an expert tool that allows to easily setup the framework for specific use cases, and thus allows instant and efficient deployment.