A methodology for static and dynamic scheduling of automation tasks in reconfigurable production systems

The development of distributed architectures for logic control systems has a number of advantages related to the system capability of being reconfigurable and responsive toward changes of production requirements. However, the execution of various portions of the control system on multiple physical resources represents a challenge as for the control task scheduling and synchronization perspectives. The proposed work outlines a scheduling approach – named ISA (Integrated Scheduling Architecture) – supporting the dynamic execution of control tasks in distributed control systems while enriching the control nominal behavior with data gathered from the shop-floor. The benefits of the approach have been validated with reference to a flexible transportation system operating in a pilot assembly line.