Method for configuration soa-based automation devices and for developing an orchestration machine, production method and production system in service-oriented architecture having embedded service orchestration engine

A method for configuration of SOA-based automation devices (STB) having an embedded High-Level Petri Net (HLPN) Orchestration Engine (OE) for controlling mechatronic components (C1-C11, L1, L2, W1, W2, MC) of an automation system (DAS), comprising the process steps:

• Generation of HLPN component models (CM) for each type of mechatronic component (C1-C11, L1, L2, W1, W2, MC) of the automation system (DAS),
• Creation of a Component Instance Model (CIM) from an HLPN component model (CM) for each physically present mechatronic component (C1-C11, L1, L2, W1, W2, MC),
• Creation of a Layout Configuration File (LCF), which describes relationships among the Component Instance Models (CIM),
• Composition of the Component Instance Models (CIM) to form at least one System Model (SM) based on the Layout Configuration File (LCF), such that logic ports of the Component Instance Models (CIM) are interconnected/linked to one another,
• Generation of Configuration Files (CF) based on the at least one System Model (SM) as well as Device Descriptor Files and WSDL files of the Component Instance Models (CIM), such that the configuration files include at least one Device Configuration File and one Service Configuration File,
• Loading the configuration files into the automation device (STB_PNE) containing the HLPN orchestration engine (OE), wherein the configuration file comprises data on hosted service information with the required discovery hints or a service endpoint address for the HLPN orchestration engine to resolve referenced component services, and the device configuration file has a service class descriptor with referenced types of ports and a model representation,
• Execution of the configuration files by the distributed HLPN orchestration engines (OE) of the automation devices (STB_PNE).

A manufacturing method (DAS) for manufacturing products by the cooperation of a plurality of mechatronic components and/or devices (C1-C11, L1, L2, W1, W2) such as transport units, lifters or workstations,

• wherein a group of automation devices and/or devices or a mechatronic component and/or device is/are controlled an automation device (STB),
• wherein the automation devices (STB) communicate via a network (N) with one another and with a Production Execution System (PES) in a service-oriented manner,
• wherein the automation device (STB) assigned to a mechatronic component and/or device or to a group of mechatronic components and/or devices is configured such that the mechatronic components and/or the device or the group of mechatronic components and/or devices can be offered and retrieved as a logic device, and functions of the mechatronic component and/or device or the group of mechatronic components and/or devices can be retrieved as an elementary service (S) in the network (N),
• wherein at least two Service Orchestration Engines (OE) re provided for implementing the manufacturing method, each Service Orchestration Engine (OE) being configured such that elementary services (S) of one group of mechatronic components and/or devices which belong together from the standpoint of manufacturing technology are orchestrated and represented in the network (N) on the basis of interconnected and/or synchronized-orchestration and/or behavior models,
• wherein the orchestration and/or behavior models are interconnected via ports, such that a model based on the linking of individual behavior models of groups of mechatronic components is generated, data being inserted into the underlying Petri Net models for the linking of the models, and a linking file such as an XML file is defined, in which there is a description of which models are connected over which ports, and
• wherein the orchestration models are interconnected via ports, such that mutual communication of multiple Orchestration Engines (OE) and their respective models is performed by offering and utilizing services via a service inquiry/response/event mechanism.

A manufacturing system (DAS), comprising:

• a plurality of mechatronic components and/or devices (C1-C11, L1, L2, W1, W2, MC), such as transport units, lifters, workstations, which cooperate to manufacture products,
• a plurality of automation devices (STB) for controlling the mechatronic components and/or devices (C1-C11, L1, L2, W1, W2, MC), wherein a group of mechatronic components and/or devices or a mechatronic component and/or device is assigned to each of the automation devices (STB),
• wherein the automation devices (STB) are linked to one another via a network (N) and are linked to a Production Execution System (PES) for exchanging messages with one another,
• wherein the automation device (STB) assigned to a mechatronic component and/or device or a group of mechatronic components and/or devices is configured such that the mechatronic component and/or device or the group of mechatronic components and/or devices can be retrieved as a logic device in the network (N), and functions of the mechatronic component and/or device or the group of mechatronic components and/or devices can be retrieved as an elementary service (S),
• wherein the manufacturing system (DAS) has at least two implemented Service Orchestration Engines (OE), such that each Service Orchestration Engine (OE) is configured so that elementary services (S) of a group of mechatronic components and/or devices belonging together from the standpoint of the manufacturing technology are orchestrated on the basis of interconnected and/or synchronized orchestration and/or behavior models and are represented in the network (N),
• wherein the Orchestration Engine (OE) is linked via the network (N) to a decision support system (DSS), which is implemented in the Production Execution System (PES), such that decision support can be retrieved at conflict nodes when conflicts occur on execution of the orchestration model and/or behavior model implemented in the Orchestration Engine (OE), and
• wherein the Production Execution System (PES) has an interface (DSS IE) for the Service Orchestration Engine (OE) and an interface (ERPI) for an Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP), by means of which production orders can be transferred to the Production Execution System (PES), and
• data on products in the form of processing status and next work steps are stored in the Production Execution System (PES) and/or the Decision Support System (DSS).

A manufacturing method (DAS) for manufacturing products through the cooperation of a plurality of mechatronic components and/or devices (C1-C11, L1, L2, W1, W2), such as transport units, lifters, workstations,

• wherein a group of mechatronic components and/or devices or a mechatronic component and/or device is/are each controlled by an automation device (STB),
• wherein the automation devices (STB) communicate with one another and with a Production Execution System (PES) in a service-oriented manner via a network (N),
• wherein the automation device (STB) assigned to a mechatronic component and/or device or a group of mechatronic components and/or devices is configured such that the mechatronic component and/or the device or the group of mechatronic components and/or devices is offered and retrieved as a logic device in the network (N), and functions of the mechatronic component and/or device or the group of mechatronic components and/or devices are offered and retrieved as an elementary service (S) in the network (N),
• wherein for executing the manufacturing method, at least two Service Orchestration Engines (OE) are provided, such that each Service Orchestration Engine (OE) is configured such that elementary services (S) of a group of mechatronic components and/or devices belonging together from the standpoint of the manufacturing technology are orchestrated on the basis of interconnected and/or synchronized orchestration and/or behavior models and are represented in the network (N),
• wherein when there is a conflict at an intersection node of the model, at which alternative services are available for selection, and decision queries are directed at the Production Execution System (PES), the latter sends a decision to the Orchestration Engine (OE), and the Orchestration Engine (OE) selects a suitable service from a set of possible services available when one and only one corresponding service is retrieved, and the Orchestration Engine then activates a specific control logic, such that the above sequences are executed in real time.