A Petri-net and entity-relationship diagram based object-oriented design method for manufacturing systems control

An evolutionary object-oriented (OO) design method is proposed for the control software design of an automated manufacturing system. This OO approach is based upon three popular modelling tools-IDEF0, entity relationship diagram (ERD) and Petri-net. First, IDEF0, ERD and Petri-net models for manufacturing systems are constructed. Some transformation rules are found between these models and the OO model. Finally, simulation and control software are coded, based on the OO model. The practical significances of the proposals are the suggestion of using Petri-net, ERD and IDEF0 as the three models employed in the evolutionary OO design method, which can improve the limitations of existing methods applied in manufacturing systems. The OO paradigm can thus be considered as a suitable mechanism for combining ERD and Petri-net to give integration of information and control system design in a manufacturing system.