Concept and implementation of an agent-based control architecture for a cyber-physical assembly system

Centre for Mechatronics and Automatin gGmbH (ZeMA) Group of Assembly Systems and Automation Technology Gewerbepark Eschberger Weg 46, Geb. 9, 66121 Saarbrücken, Germany

Abstract

Today’s production companies are challenged with: the assembly of different product variants with lot size of one on a single assembly line and the increase of product variants. The implementation of reconfigurable assembly systems with a modular design is a solution, which allows a flexible adaptation to different product variants. However, handling different assembly modules via specific communication protocols is limited by the current centralized control concepts. Therefore, this paper presents a concept for an agent-based control architecture. This concept uses coherent information starting from the planning process of the assembly system until the system is put into operation allowing a decentralized control. The decentralized agents in each station act as mediators between the modules and the assembly memory database enabling the product autonomous control throughout the assembly system. Moreover, the agent manages the data transfer for the modules with different specific syntaxes via respective communication protocols since a standardized communication protocol does not exist in industry. The concept is verified in a test assembly line for the production of small electronic components.