Agent-based control model for reconfigurable manufacturing systems

Hardware and software modularity can improve both system integration and reconfigurability in manufacturing systems. Despite the advances in mechatronic design methodologies and hardware modularization, less attention has been paid to software modularization. This work presents a model for control applications which considers mechatronic devices as basic mechatronic modules. The model includes logic control and coordination control. The logic control is implemented with algorithms which are encapsulated in function blocks; the coordination control is performed by agents. The test presented shows the messaging performance when different mechatronic modules coordinate themselves in order to perform an action.