A reference architecture for control of mechanical systems

Presents a reference architecture for the control of mechanical systems. The architecture, called the "Joint Architecture", is derived in part from existing real-time control systems and manufacturing systems integration architectures at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The Joint Architecture is under development and not yet complete. It is a hierarchical control architecture and focuses on the control of systems for manufacturing discrete parts by machining. A definition of "architecture" has been adopted which includes explicit levels of abstraction, termed "tiers of architectural definition", and five elements of architectural definition: (i) statement of scope and purpose, (ii) domain analyses, (iii) architectural specification, (iv) methodology for architectural development, and (v) conformance criteria. This paper gives an overview of the Joint Architecture and describes its two most abstract tiers.<<ETX>>