Petter Falkman

Sequence Planning for Integrated Product, Process and Automation Design

In order to obtain a unified information flow from early product design to final production, an integrated framework for product, process and automation design is presented. The framework is based on sequences of operations and includes a formal relation between product properties and process operations. This relation includes liaisons (interfaces) and precedence relations, where the precedence relations generate preconditions for the related process operations. From this information a set of sequences of operations (SOPs) is generated. A formal graphical language for hierarchical operations and SOPs is then introduced and defined based on automata extended with variables. Since the operations are self-contained they can be grouped and viewed from different angles, e.g., from a product or a resource perspective. These multiple views increase the interoperability between different engineering disciplines. A case study is performed on a car manufacturing cell, where the suggested modeling framework is shown to give comprehensible SOPs.

Sequence Planning Using Multiple and Coordinated Sequences of Operations

The sequential behavior of a manufacturing system results from several constraints introduced during the product, manufacturing, and control logic development. This paper proposes methods and algorithms for automatically representing and visualizing this behavior from various perspectives throughout the development process. A new sequence planning approach is introduced that uses self-contained operations to model the activities and execution constraints. These operations can be represented and visualized from multiple perspectives using a graphical and formal language called Sequences of Operations (SOPs). The operations in a manufacturing system are related to each other in various ways, due to execution constraints expressed by operation pre- and post-conditions. These operation relations include parallel, sequence, arbitrary order, alternative, and hierarchy relations. Based on the SOP language, these relations are identified and visualized in various SOPs and sequences. A software tool, Sequence Planner, has been developed, for organizing the operations into SOPs that visualize only relevant operations and relations.

Planning transport sequences for flexible manufacturing systems

When designing a manufacturing system it is important to plan what the system should do. One important activity in most manufacturing systems is to transport products or resources between different positions. In a flexible manufacturing system it can be challenging to design and plan these transport operations due to their complex logical behavior. This paper presents a method that identifies, creates and visualizes these transport operations based on inputs from a standard virtual manufacturing tool and a high level product operation recipe. The planning of the created transport operations is transformed into a problem of finding a non-blocking solution for a discrete model of the product refinement.

Automatic generation: A way of ensuring PLC and HMI standards

Preparing an automatic production system takes a lot of time and to be able to decrease this time virtual simulation studies are used more and more frequently. However, even if more work is performed in a virtual environment a problem is still that the same work is done more than one time in different software tools due to the lack of integration between them. The present paper presents a case study that investigates how a newly developed tool called SIMATIC Automation Designer can be used in order to close the gap between the mechanical design and the electrical design. SIMATIC Automation Designer is a Siemens software that can generate PLC code and HMI screens. The result shows that by generating PLC code and HMI screens automatically, it is possible to get the same structure and naming standard in every PLC and HMI project. This will ensure a corporate standard and will be a quality assurance of the PLC code and HMI screens.

Generation of STEP AP214 Models From Discrete Event Systems for Process Planning and Control

The aim of this paper is to show how the international standard STEP-AP214 can be used for communication and storing of process specifications. Even though there are several software tools available for the generation of both product and resource information systems, there is still a lack of tools related to the STEP standard for producing process information, e.g., sequence of operations and system capabilities for resource allocation. Therefore, such a tool is suggested, which makes use of a high-level language for discrete-event systems based on process algebra and Petri nets. This language, called process algebra Petri net), has been developed in accordance with the process relations defined in STEP-AP214. More specifically, it is shown how process specifications created with the PPN tool can be mapped to the STEP AP-214 format. Note to Practioners-Rapidly changing market needs is making demands on flexibility and ability to shorten lead times. Standards for exchanging information, as well as formal methods for automatic development of programmable controller code have been important research topics for many years. There are a lot of software tools available for the generation of both product- and resource information, but there is still a lack of tools for producing process information. Moreover, the connection between information exchange standards and such tools is absent, which makes the development of programmable controller code an isolated activity. This activity is often time consuming and performed in an ad hoc manner resulting in unnecessary production delay. The aim of this paper is to show how the international standard STEP-AP214 (a standard for exchange of product-, process-, and resource related information) can be used for communicating and storing process specifications. In order to achieve this, a tool which makes use of a formal high-level language is suggested. This tool can be used for automatic control generation and has been developed in accordance with the process relations defined in STEP-AP214. A further aim is to shown how the mentioned tool can be used to specify complex systems in a compact, yet highly readable manner, which is a crucial incentive for industry to use formal methods. The presented method will guarantee that expected information is delivered quickly and without errors caused by the human factor, something that is very important in our ambition to achieve shortened lead times. The quick information exchange also makes it possible to perform simulation, supervisor synthesis, and verification early in the development phase. This is a first attempt at using a formal language for creating a tool that can automatically generate specifications in accordance with the international STEP-standard.

Combined process algebra and Petri nets for specification of resource booking problems

A modeling framework for general routing and resource booking problems is presented. The task is to specify desired routes for individual objects (products, data packets, vehicles), which are to be served by a number of shared resources (machines, computers, communication links). A high level language is presented in order to simplify the specification of desired routes. This modeling language combines Petri nets and process algebra. Process operators are introduced for specification of sequences, alternative choices, arbitrary ordered sequences and process synchronization. Multiple as well as alternative resources are easily specified utilizing sets of resources. These sets and operators imply a very compact and efficient representation of complex routing specifications. In fact, the representation is suitable for verification and synthesis based on symbolic tools such as binary decision diagrams.

Optimization of operation sequences using constraint programming

In this paper, we connect the dots: design and optimization of production systems. A possible link between these two areas, is a previously presented modeling language, Sequence Planner Language (SPL). It has been demonstrated how relevant information can be extracted from production systems modeling applications, and converted into SPL. We show how the SPL model can be converted into a constraint programming model for optimization. Also, a useful abstraction concept, work-equivalence, is introduced to enable alternative model formulations. A case study consisting of an aero engine structure assembly plant is presented, in which the efficiency of the resulting constraint programs is investigated. The formulations enabled by abstraction are shown to perform better than the standard formulation.

Specification of a batch plant using process algebra and Petri nets

A modelling framework for general routing and resource allocation systems is presented. The task is to specify desired routes for individual objects (products, data packets, vehicles), which are to be served by a number of shared resources (machines, computers, communication links). Based on simple booking models for the resources and routing specifications for the objects, a controller that synchronizes the objects utilization of the available resources is automatically generated. A high level language is presented in order to simplify the specification of desired routes. This modelling language combines Petri nets and process algebra. Process operators are introduced for specification of alternative, synchronization, start and stop process, and restriction, which are applied in order to model join and split operations. This language results in a compact and efficient representation of complex routing specifications.

Relations identification and visualization for sequence planning and automation design

The sequential behavior of a manufacturing system results from a number of constraints introduced both in product, manufacturing and control logic development. Sequence planning is therefore an important activity throughout the complete development process. This paper proposes a sequence planning approach using self-contained manufacturing operations that model actions and relevant execution conditions. These operations can have temporal relations with each other, due to execution constraints expressed by operation pre- post- and reset conditions. The operation relations can for example be parallel, sequence, arbitrary order, alternative or hierarchy. Based on a formal operation model, the relations among operations are identified and visualized with a graphical language called Sequences of Operations, SOP.

Operation-oriented specification for integrated control logic development

In order to develop a manufacturing automation system, it is necessary to understand the manufacturing operations and their relationship, the sequence of operations, which is the basis for control logic design. The operations have preconditions that define when they are allowed to start executing, which also defines the sequence relations among them. Requirements and demands throughout the development will add and change these conditions, which also changes the sequence of operations. This paper studies how an operation-oriented development approach better can handle the operations and manufacturing sequences from early product design to detailed control engineering. An operation is defined by an extended finite automaton, with an initial, execute and finished location. The start event is enabled by a precondition, the stop event is enabled by a postcondition and the reset event is enabled by a reset condition. This representation together with a resource and product description enables the possibility to integrate control logic in the complete development process.