Glocalized cyber physical production systems

Abstract

Current developments in automation technology deal with “cyber physical systems”. These cyber physical systems have sensors and actors and can make decisions based on their own intelligence as well as partially adapt to changing conditions. For a versatile and networked production cyber physical systems are of limited value. Precisely where the available sensors and actuators have to be combined flexibly due to ever new conditions, these systems find their limits because of their insularity. Limited computing hardware resources and lacking interfaces confine the possibilities of cyber physical systems in production environment. This paper explains how cyber physical systems need to be developed further in order to meet the requirements of a versatile and networked production plant.