Specification and design of logic controllers for automated manufacturing systems

The complexity of manufacturing systems makes it necessary to use adequate modelling tools based on a hierarchical and modular approach which highlights the dependency relationship between different system components. This paper presents a methodology which utilizes the hierarchical decomposition of structured analysis and design technique and the modularity of Petri nets to obtain the Grafcet, representing the implementation of the logic controller of an automated manufacturing system. This methodology aims at: (i) improving the communication between the manufacturing system designer and the control designer, (ii) generating the control logic starting from high-level specifications, and (iii) providing the basis for the validation of the control system. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.