The FESTO MPS Case-Study

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Introduction
FESTO MPS

The control application

FESTO MPS Simulator

References

The Festo MPS control application Download

This is a CORFU project for the Festo MPS.

Copy the MyFesto directory (that is under library and contains the FB types) to the Corfu/library directory. Copy the FestoMPS directory (that contains the Corfu project) under Corfu/projects.

Introduction
To demonstrate the applicability of the IEC61499 Function Block model and prove the effectiveness and usability of our:

1. IEC61499 compliant FB execution environment (RTSJ-AXE) [1],

2. tool infrastructure (CORFU ESS and Archimedes System Platform) [2][3] and

3. development process,

the FESTO MPS example application was developed.

The first prototype implementation of the FESTO MPS control application was developed by Evagelia Mpogiatzi in the context of her Diploma thesis [4]. CORFU Engineering Support System (CORFU ESS) was utilized to apply the hybrid approach described in the paper entitled “Using UML in Control and Automation: A Model Driven Approach” by K. Thramboulidis 2^nd IEEE International Conference on Industrial Informatics, (INDIN’04), June 2004, Berlin [5].

This case study is also used as a running example in the paper entitled  "Design Alternatives in the IEC 61499 Function Block Model" by K. Thramboulidis [ETFA06] [6].

FESTO Modular Production System
According to [6] “FESTO MPS is a well documented system used by many universities for research and education purposes [7][8][9]. It is also used by other research groups to demonstrate the applicability of the IEC61499 model.” Figure 1 presents the schematic diagram of FESTO MPS. The class diagram of Fig. 2 taken from [6] represents the structural information of this system. Each one of the three units that constitute the system i.e., distribution unit, test unit and processing unit, is further defined as an aggregation of other mechanical units.

Fig. 1. FESTO Modular Production System (schematic diagram) [6].

“The distribution unit, which is composed of a pneumatic feeder and a converter, forwards cylindrical work pieces from the Stack to the Testing unit. The testing unit is composed of the detector, the elevator and the shift out cylinder. The detection unit performs checks on work pieces for height, material type and colour. Work pieces that successfully pass this check are forwarded to the rotating disk of the processing unit, where the drilling of the work piece is performed as the primary processing of this MPS. The result of the drilling operation is next checked by the checking machine and the work piece is forwarded for further processing to another mechanical unit. A detailed description of FESTO MPS can be found in [7] and [8].” [6].

Sensors and actuators list

The control application
For the development of the control application the hybrid approach presented in [5] was utilized. A UML analysis model was created using Rational Rose.  This model was next transformed using the Corfu Transformation facility manager (TFM) to a Function Block based design document. The design was next refined to get the final function block design diagram that was transformed using the Archimedes RTSJ-AXE package to get the execution model of the application.

In the following selected diagrams from the development of the prototype control application of FESTO MPS that is described in [4] are given.

Actors (Initiating IPTs) :

1. Operator

2. Converter

3. Elevator

4. DetectionModule

5. Rotating disc       

Use case list