Interoperability and data integration are significant challenges in production planning and control (PPC) due to heterogeneous data formats and fragmented software systems. This paper introduces aas-middleware, an open-source software system leveraging Asset Administration Shells (AAS) to enable interoperable, real-time integration for smart manufacturing. By realizing service-orientation, aas-middleware addresses data heterogeneity and system integration challenges, facilitating automation and information orchestration in PPC. This research details the middleware’s architecture and showcases its application and evaluation in a modular assembly station, demonstrating its ability to bridge IT and OT systems effectively in real-time and to orchestrate complex planning tasks automatically.
Behrendt et al. (Wed,) studied this question.