21. Distributed Control of Manufacturing Networks: Analysis of Performance

The aim of this chapter is to introduce the reader to one of the important applications of distributed control that is manufacturing networks. In this chapter, we present selected results of our study focused on performance analysis of manufacturing machines and tandem lines operated under distributed surplus-based control. The distributed nature of the controller ensures that the control action for each machine in the network depends merely on the state of its neighboring machines. This fact significantly simplifies implementation of the control algorithm. By rigorous mathematical analysis in combination with classical control theory, we are able to show the optimality of surplus-based control for a single manufacturing machine and evaluate the demand tracking accuracy of a manufacturing line with bounded intermediate buffers. Particular attention is given to the flow models that describe the dynamical behavior of a manufacturing machine and a line. The analytical results of this chapter are supported by a simulation example.