Applying a software framework for supervisory control of a PLC-based flexible manufacturing systems

In this paper, a software framework for a distributed flexible manufacturing system is presented where, as a main design goal, we consider that the functionalities are offered to other components with no effects on the robustness of the system and where security specifications are tackled without the flexibility losses. In this way, the use of the supervisory control theory (SCT) is considered. Also, a methodology that makes it easier to implement these functionalities at a PLC-based system is presented. A real application of the developed framework is presented, and the implementation is done over an industrial-size device, so the technical feasibility of the methodology is proved. As the framework considers the services offered by the device, it can be used at different manufacturing tasks, so the approach can be applied to any kind of industrial process unit.