Implementation of logical control for a robotic workcell

Automation of manufacturing workcell relies heavily on sensors and logic control systems to ensure smooth process flow through its devices. Commonly, such logic control systems (e.g. programmable logic controller) are setup for controlling workcells for a specific process flow. These systems require extensive restructuring of its control logic and re-wiring of the communication cables (e.g. feedback from sensors, relays to actuators) whenever there is need for the workcells to change their configuration for different process flow. These requirements result in loss of the production time and incur additional costs. In this paper a different approach, which has the potential of rapid configuration of logical control, is demonstrated on a modular robotic workcell. The approach uses computer network as the communication media and the control logic is developed using the supervisory control theory.