Interoperable Language Family for Agent Interaction in Industrial Applications

Agent based systems allows to introduce additional flexibility to Distributed Control Systems (DCS) in manufacturing. Shifting decision making processes from enterprise resource planning (ERP) to the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) allows to react in more flexible manner to changes in orders and shop floor environment. The definition of an appropriate language is vital to allow seamless and unobstructed interaction between agents. This article analyses the requirements and objectives of a content description language for industrial systems. It introduces an ontology-based set of representation languages and transformations being adaptable to different system requirements. An implementation within the PABADIS'PROMISE project is given, demonstrating the applicability of the concepts.