A software-defined framework for the integrated management of smart manufacturing systems

This paper introduces software-defined control (SDC) as a framework that enables integrated and programmatic management of smart manufacturing systems. SDC consolidates information from the production and enterprise levels in a central controller that monitors performance and detects changing conditions. The integrated view of the system provided by the central controller supports the development of applications, which supply the central controller with new information and reconfiguration recommendations. SDC is designed to be scalable and compatible with current automation technologies. A simulation shows that the incorporation of plant-floor information in management decisions, as supported by SDC, has the potential to improve profitability.