Increased flexibility for heterogeneously structured material flow systems enabled by intelligent software agents controlling self-configuring conveyors

ISiKon项目的主要目标是开发软件代理(SWA)形式的智能软件模块，用于配置和控制不同结构的物流系统。代理代表整个系统中的各个传送带模块(FTM)。为了实现系统的自我配置和控制，SWAS需要了解特定属性(例如，可以运输哪些货物)。此外，SWA必须能够确定所代表的FTM在整个系统拓扑中的位置。只有这样，才有可能进行FTM级的高效航路规划。控制概念能够处理来自更高管理级别的运输命令(例如仓库管理系统)以及由货物本身产生的运输请求(例如通过使用RFID技术)。除了FTM-Agents之外，还应该引入“规划代理”，它具有量身定做的信息，以得出一个全球逻辑结构。本地和全局代理的相互作用创建了一个自适应软件基础设施，该基础设施支持识别和评估可能的路径、协调负载变化以及在添加/移除传送带模块(FTM)后在线重新配置传送带系统。所需的自我配置和分散控制办法主要是缩短和简化了材料搬运系统的试运行/改装阶段，并提高了这类系统的灵活性和可用性。这种分散控制概念的实现及其不同类型的代理必须完全能够满足对诸如可编程逻辑控制器(PLC)等常见自动化技术设备的实时要求。

Main objective of the project iSiKon is the development of intelligent software modules in the form of software agents (SWA) for the configuration and control of heterogeneously structured material flow systems. The agents represent individual conveyor modules (FTM) in the overall system. To enable self-configuration and -control of the system, the SWAs need knowledge about specific properties (e.g. which goods can be transported). In addition, the SWA must be able to determine the location of the represented FTM in the overall system topology. Only in this way it is possible to perform on FTM-level efficient route planning. The control concept is able to process transport orders from a higher administrative level (e.g. warehouse management system) as well as transport requests that are generated by the goods themselves (e.g. by using RFID-technology). 'Planning agents', which have tailored information to derive a global logical structure, should be introduced in addition to the FTM-agents. The interplay of local and global agents creates an adaptive software infrastructure that supports the identification and evaluation of possible paths, coordination of load changes and an online reconfiguration of the conveyor system after adding/removing conveyor modules (FTMs). The desired self-configuration and the decentralized control approach primarily results in shortened and simplified commissioning/modification phases of material handling systems and an increasing flexibility and availability of such systems. Implementation of this decentralized control concept and its different types of agents has to be fully capable of real time requirements on the usual automation technology devices such as programmable logic controllers (PLCs).