HETERARCHICAL CONTROL OF HIGHLY DISTRIBUTED MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS

The use of heterarchical architectures to control manufacturing system s is becoming an increasingly attractive alternative to conventional h ierarchical architectures as the density and level of distribution of computing resources in manufacturing systems grows. In this paper, des ign principles for heterarchical systems are reviewed that have evolve d to promote reduced complexity, increased extensibility, self-configu rability, and adaptation in real time. Challenges that arise in adheri ng to these principles such as cooperation between autonomous entities and potential for chaotic behaviour are discussed. Finally, heterarch ical control is described for arrival time of parts at a machine where using local feedback control, system stability and convergence to mer itorious states can be guaranteed, leading to confidence in system per formance.