Method for modeling and executing a production rule in a discrete manufacturing scenario

A method for modeling and executing a production rule associated with a process element and containing predefined production steps and predefined dependencies between the predefined production steps, which comprises the steps of:

• loading a production rule of a production phase in a discrete manufacturing scenario into a production order manager;
• parsing the production rule and retrieving the predefined production steps and the predefined dependencies;
• inputting user-defined parameters for the predefined production steps and the predefined dependencies, if necessary and available;
• creating a state machine containing the predefined production steps each labeled as a predefined state, and further containing the predefined dependencies each labeled as a predefined transition between two predefined states;
• and forwarding the state machine to a process controller in communication with the process element involved in the production phase of the discrete manufacturing scenario,
• wherein the process controller manages the production rule by carrying out the steps of:
• i) retrieving status information about a production state of the process element;
• ii) matching the production state to a specific predefined state contained in the state machine;
• iii) retrieving information about a specific predefined transition following the specific state;
• iv) dispatching an action specified by the specific predefined transition to the process element;
• v) deactivating a totality of controller routines associated with the specific predefined state and with the specific predefined transition;
• and
• vi) returning to step i) until a last predefined state has been reached.