Discrete-event modeling and control of manufacturing systems

In this article discrete-event state equations are applied to model and control manufacturing systems. Their input and output variables and the state itself are formulated in a suitable space of event sequences. Events are defined as pairs (fact, time), the fact being an element of the quantity space of the manufacturing objects produced, consumed and used by the process to be controlled. Real-time control strategies are event schedulers responsible to specific event classes, which can be aggregated to favour control hierarchy.