The growing complexity of production systems requires appropriate control architectures that allow flexible adaptation during their runtime. Although cyber-physical production systems (CPPS) provide the means to cope with complexity and flexibility, the migration with existing control systems is still a challenge. The term CPPS denotes a mechatronic system (physical world) coupled with software entities and digital information (cyber part), both enabling the smart factory concept for the Industry 4.0 (I4.0) paradigm. In this regard, design patterns could help developers to build their software with common solutions for manufacturing control derived from experiences. We provide a description and comparison of the already existing multi-agent systems (MAS) design patterns, which were collected and classified by introducing two classification criteria to support MAS developers. The applicability of these criteria is shown in the case of specific example architectures from the lower and higher control levels. The authors, together with experts from the German Agent Systems committee FA 5.15, gathered more than twenty MAS patterns, evaluated, and compared four selected patterns with the presented criteria and terminology. The main contribution is a CPPS architecture that fulfills requirements related to the era of smart factories, as well as the Reference Architectural Model I4.0 (RAMI 4.0). The conclusions indicate that agent-based patterns greatly benefit the CPPS design. In addition, it is shown that manufacturing based on MAS is a good way to address complex requests of the CPPS development.

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AbstractThe discussion paper “I4.0 language: vocabulary, message structure and semantic interaction protocols of the I4.0 language”, published by the working group “Semantics and Interaction of Industry 4.0 Components” of the GMA, also known as UAG of the AG 1 of the platform Industry 4.0 (I4.0), presented a concept for the language between I4.0 components. The main conclusion is: The increasing networking and cooperation of components enable new forms of organization and control. A clear understanding of machine interactions paves self-organized and self-optimized value creation in I4.0. Agent-based systems are an option for the realization of such I4.0 architectures. Due to their features, software agents are particularly well suited for representing I4.0 components and enabling I4.0 interactions. Agents are not only able to understand the necessary machine languages, but also the essential mechanisms for self-organization and self-optimization in value creation. The paper focuses on I4.0 scenarios described by the Platform I4.0 that describes challenges for the industry towards its digital future and demonstrates how emerging challenges in the area of I4.0 can be met with the help of agent-based systems.