Process automation and Industry 4.0 Priority Research Area POB5

Industrial control systems require the use of advanced and high-performance controllers (PLC). The control system must assure an almost instant response to input signal changes. The classic approach of computing control signals is based on serial-cyclic execution of the control program. An instruction performs an elementary operation. To implement desired control activity a program consisting of many instructions must be executed. The program execution requires a relatively long time. It also determines the response time of control systems to input signals changes.

Carried out research process concentrates on efficient control program mapping given with a set of standard languages in different programmable structures especially in such that enables parallel control program execution. The hardware implementation of a control program gives a unique ability of the direct and massively parallel implementation of the computations. Developed controllers using a direct hardware approach offer a response time of few nanoseconds. It also should be noted that direct hardware implementation assures well-defined maximal response time that is crucial for systems with very short available time. Development and implementation of advanced control systems require wide knowledge, experience, and skills in sophisticated design and implementation techniques.

The main goal of carried out research works is the development of synthesis and technology mapping methods dedicated to fast control system implementation. The input program is given using a set of standard languages according to standards IEC61131-3 and IEC61499. The user delivers a standard program that is automatically translated into the respective hardware structure. The program implementation process consists of multiple steps. During implementation, different optimization approaches can be considered e.g.: reducing response time, consumed power, or occupied space on a silicon die. The main goal is delivering high-performance control systems including multithreaded and parallel implementations. The essential is the development of methods that enable parallel computations. This goal is achieved by extracting independent operations and efficient scheduling and mapping either using a direct hardware approach or dedicated multicore processing architecture.

Developed methods and solutions enable rapid prototyping of control systems using widely accepted programming concepts. The program is developed and delivered for implementation using standard languages. Implementation methodologies enable synthesizing a control system with very short response time according to the delivered program. This allows for fast, safe, and convenient prototyping of high-performance control systems.