Restarting Manufacturing Systems; Restart States and Restartability

A method for restart after an error in a manufacturing system is introduced. The method is able to restart systems even after nonforeseen errors that cannot be planned for, and the online part of the restart method does not require use of more powerful computers than a standard Programmable Logic Controller. It is shown what properties the control function must have to ensure that there is at least one restart state for each controller state. Sufficient conditions to guarantee the possibility to restart a system regardless of where an error occurs are given, along with indications on how the system could otherwise be rebuilt to be restartable.