Reconfigurable Logic Control for High Volume Manufacturing Systems
University of Michigan
Automatic manufacturing systems with dedicated and
integrated material handling can produce large quantities of high quality parts
rapidly. A discrete event supervisory control system, called a logic
controller, coordinates the parallel and synchronized operation of the various
machines in the manufacturing system. In current industrial practice, logic
controllers are programmed in a low-level language by experienced control
engineers. Although each program
is fairly simple at a low level, the complexity can be enormous-it is not
uncommon to find systems with 10,000 or more I/O points (events). Half of total
time and cost of a new manufacturing system may be attributed to the control
system; this cost can be justified if the same product will be produced for ten
or more years. However, as product
lifecycles decrease and product varieties increase, new methods for rapidly
configuring and reconfiguring high volume manufacturing systems must be
developed. This talk will overview
the logic control problem for high volume manufacturing systems, and present some
possible solutions using formal methods from discrete event systems. Issues
associated with industrial implementation will be discussed, and examples will
be drawn from the automotive and shoe manufacturing industries.
Friday, January 17, 2003
3:30 – 4:30 p.m.