Control device for a production module, production module having a control device, and method for operating the control device

A plurality of production modules, each respective production module of the plurality of production modules having a respective control device, wherein each control device comprises:

• a) a data memory for storing operational settings of the respective production module and an adjacent production module and restrictions which must be complied with by at least some of the operational settings,
• b) a processor configured to dynamically detect the adjacent production module, record a restriction caused by interaction of the respective production module with at least one of a product and the adjacent production module, and determine an external operational setting of the adjacent production module on which a local operational setting of the respective production module is dependent on account of a common restriction,
• c) wherein the processor is also configured to implement a local assessment function, which assesses the local operational setting, and having a further assessment function, which assesses non-compliance with the common restriction, set up to determine an optimized local operational setting by:
• optimizing the local assessment function resulting in an updated local operational setting,
• reading in the determined external operational setting, and
• optimizing the further assessment function on the basis of the external operational setting which has been read in and on the updated local operational setting resulting from the optimization of the local assessment function, and
• d) wherein the processor is also configured to set the optimized local operational setting in the respective production module such that the respective production module is operated in accordance with the optimized local operational setting.

A method for controlling a plurality of production modules comprising:

• a) storing operational settings of the plurality of production modules and restrictions which must be complied with by at least some of the operational settings,
• b) determining a respective production module, an adjacent production module, and an external operational setting of the adjacent production module on which a local operational setting of the respective production module is dependent on account of a common restriction,
• c) determining an optimized local operational setting on the basis of a local assessment function, which assesses the local operational setting, and a further assessment function, which assesses non-compliance with the common restriction, by:
• optimizing the local assessment function resulting in an updated local operational setting,
• reading in the determined external operational setting, and
• optimizing the further assessment function on the basis of the external operational setting which has been read in and on the updated local operational setting resulting from the optimization of the local assessment function,
• d) setting the optimized local operational setting in the respective production module such that the respective production module is operated in accordance with the optimized local operational setting, and
• e) recording a restriction caused by interaction of the respective production module with at least one of a product and the adjacent production module;
• wherein the method is performed on at least a first control device and a second control device,
• wherein the first control device is associated with a first production module of the plurality of production modules and the second control device is associated with a second production module of the plurality of production modules.

A computer program product, comprising a computer readable hardware storage device having computer readable program code stored therein, said program code executable by a processor of a computer system to implement a method for controlling a plurality of production modules, wherein the method comprises:

• a) storing operational settings of the plurality of production modules and restrictions which must be complied with by at least some of the operational settings,
• b) determining a respective production module, an adjacent production module, and an external operational setting of the adjacent production module on which a local operational setting of the respective production module is dependent on account of a common restriction,
• c) determining an optimized local operational setting on the basis of a local assessment function, which assesses the local operational setting, and a further assessment function, which assesses non-compliance with the common restriction, by:
• optimizing the local assessment function resulting in an updated local operational setting,
• reading in the determined external operational setting, and
• optimizing the further assessment function on the basis of the external operational setting which has been read in and on the updated local operational setting resulting from the optimization of the local assessment function,
• d) setting the optimized local operational setting in the respective production module such that the respective production module is operated in accordance with the optimized local operational setting, and
• e) recording a restriction caused by interaction of the respective production module with at least one of a product and the adjacent production module;
• wherein the steps of determining and setting the optimized local operational setting do not require communication from any centralized controller.