Software architecture for a cell controller

The primary objective of this study was to develop a versatile software architecture to integrate two NC machines, two robots, a vision station, and a conveyor based material transport system into a completely computer controlled manufacturing cell. Several home-built hardware/software interfaces were used in integrating the various manufacturing elements in this cell. The architecture of the cell control software is generic enough to be applicable to many small manufacturing facilities. From the system development perspective, the control software is a group of tasks working as a team in a multi-tasking environment. From the end user's perspective, it is a totally data-driven flexible manufacturing system.>