Investigation of Programming Languages for an Automated Manufacturing System

Abstract

This paper is an investigation of alternative programming languages for use in manufacturing control applications. After reviewing several types of languages, two alternative languages for programming the flexible manufacturing cell in Miami University's Manufacturing Engineering Department are investigated. One language, called Cell Programming Language (CPL), is an object-like high level language developed at Miami University. The other is Relay Ladder Logic (RLL) which is the predominant language used in industry to program programmable logic controllers. An RLL program that is equivalent to an existing CPL program was developed for this purpose.