Evaluation of Factory-Automation-Cell Control Language through Application to Real Systems

Abstract

A new programming method - named cell control language (CCL) - for factory-automation systems has been developed. In CCL programming, an action sequence of each functional unit in each operation mode is described as a net module. The net module is a subclass of Petri nets, and this subclass is equivalent to a state transition diagram, which is a conventional design method. Moreover, several net modules are automatically merged and translated into an internal code program, which is executed in a cell controller. As examples of CCL application, we present some case studies on cell products developed by using CCL, and then analyze how CCL is used to make net modules for such real systems. These examples show that the easy description by and the modular structure of CCL leads an increase in the productivity of programs for factory-automation systems.