Statecharts to specify the control of automated manufacturing systems
Jean-Luc Marty, A.E.K. Sahraoui, Michael A. Sartor · International Journal of Production Research · 1998
This paper deals with the use of Statecharts formalism, a recent automata-based language, to specify the control of automated manufacturing systems (AMS). Statecharts has been developed for the description of complex reactive systems; it provides high level constructs that facilitate carrying out large problems by a graphical structured approach. The main features of the formalism are given in the introduction. A way to design the most important constructs and mechanisms of a control field is proposed. Then, these constructs are implemented in order to specify the control of a flexible manufacturing and to show the adequacy of Statecharts for AMSs. Other useful constructs are given making if possible to translate control specifications according to a structured analysis method. Generic specification is also presented and the graphical simplification they provide in case of generic behaviour handling is clarified. Extensions made to Statecharts support are also illustrated.