GENERIC ARCHITECTURE FOR INTELLIGENT CONTROL-SYSTEMS

In this paper we describe a generic architecture for an intelligent controller which can be used at any level within a shopfloor control hierarchy for a computer-integrated manufacturing system. For each assigned job, this controller decides which proces plan will be used and the start and finish times for all the tasks in that plan. In addition, the controller monitors its subordinates' execution of those tasks and recovers from reported errors. We describe the functions that each controller performs, with additional discussion on the frequencies at which those functions are performed.