Object-oriented method for software-specification of distributed manufacturing systems based on the unified modeling language (UML)

摘要

Modern automation systems in the field of manufacturing engineering are characterised by a high degree of decentralization and distribution. Hardware components are delivered together with respective producer specific software, that means with predefined control functionality. Hence it follows that the application on system level is composed of partial functionalities which depend on the hardware components. However, the requirements of a production unit and of its possibly later extensions are defined in the context of the technical process. In the future, consistent software models will enable methods for developing control software for production units to take up requirements from the application domain and to transfer them into the program code by refining and decomposition techniques. This is the only way to design production units transparently, to aggregate existent unit parts and to add new functionalities in operation. This article presents a method for describing a consistent model of control software by the graphic software specification language UML (Unified Modeling language). This model enables the pursuing of requirements in the application domain up to the level of the implementing code level.