Loose Coupling Based Reference Scheme for Shop Floor-Control System/Production-Equipment Integration

Abstract

Coupling shop floor software system (SFS) with the set of production equipment (SPE) becomes a complex task. Itinvolves open and proprietary standards, information and communication technologies among other tools andtechniques. Due to market turbulence, either custom solutions or standards based solutions eventually require aconsiderable effort of adaptation. Loose coupling concept has been identified in the organizational design communityas a compensator for organization survival. Its presence reduces organization reaction to environment changes. Inthis paper the results obtained by the organizational design community are identified, translated and organized tosupport the SFS-SPE integration problem solution. A classical loose coupling model developed by organizationalstudies community is abstracted and translated to the area of interest. Key aspects are identified to be used aspromoters of SFS-SPE loose coupling and presented in a form of a reference scheme. Furthermore, this referencescheme is proposed here as a basis for the design and implementation of a generic coupling solution or couplingframework, that is included as a loose coupling stage between SFS and SPE. A validation example with various setsof manufacturing equipment, using different physical communication media, controller commands, programminglanguages and wire protocols is presented, showing an acceptable level of autonomy gained by the SFS.