Distributed IEC 61499 material handling control based on time synchronization with IEEE 1588

This paper proposes a method of time-driven control with high-precision synchronous clocks in distributed control systems built following the IEC 61499 standard. It investigates the impact of applying time-driven control on performance of material handling systems. A time-driven control system for a multi-diverter conveyor line has been developed using IEC 61499 Function Blocks architecture with support of the IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol. Analytic performance model has been developed and comparisons between the time-driven and two other possible control designs have been conducted and elaborated in terms of costs, logic design, and system throughput.