Distributed Object Technologies in Manufacturing Execution Systems

Integrated manufacturing systems have always found in the hardware and software heterogeneity among different vendors an obstacle to their satisfactory implementation. Nowadays, new Open and Distributed Systems technologies have appeared, providing a new integration potential, accelerating the implementation of MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) and making it’s integration to other corporate systems simpler. This work is intended to review the technology involved in distributed objects used in MES, comparing the standards and the available software resources. The paper will first discuss the new possibilities for MES implementation opened by distributed objects: a new generation of pro-active PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers), intelligent sensors and distributed plant management. Then, it will review OPC/DCOM and CORBA, as the prevailing technologies for distributed MES implementation. These two technologies will then be compared when aiming to implement MES. Finally, an industry survey will be presented showing which technology is being used by some of the topmost MES currently commercially available.