In: Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics (SMC'2000), 8-11 October 2000, Nashville, TN, Vol. 3, pages 2443-2448. 2000.
Abstract: Despite the development of a variety of PLC/DCS systems programming tools and of analysis methods, the programming and, more general, the automation system synthesis approach still includes a significant degree of the automation specialist expertise, in order to overcome problems resulting from process complexity, inadequate process description or final application verification. In order to proceed to a more systematic design of the automation application, initial concepts and guidelines are proposed, based on the concurrent operation of a number of Petri net based modules, that are structured in the form of a cooperating network. This network can include modules ranging from the highest possible level of the application (master coordinating module) to the finest levels of individual equipment (e.g., motor or valve modules). These modules include not only the traditional `automation' or `programming' modules, but also modules for the modeling of the physical behavior of the system under automation, as well as fault handling elements. These concepts are demonstrated in an industrial application. The use of a united Petri net structure for the integrated description of the application facilitates the overall analysis, reduces radically the design, installation and re-engineering time and increases the flexibility of the system.
Keywords: PLC programming, Petri nets, process descriptions, production processes.