Automation Service Choreographies using Decentralized Orchestration to Integrate Non-Choreography-Enabled Equipment Assemblies

Modularization involves separating system functionality into individual modular units, which must subsequently be associated again using suitable methods. This results in the desired flexibility and adaptability of future production systems. In this context, two association mechanisms are distinguished - orchestration and choreography. While orchestration approaches are well established in many automation applications, choreography is a rather new method for associating automation functions. When evaluating choreographies in the process industry, it has become apparent that not all subsystems participating in a choreography may be choreography-enabled. Thus, this contribution presents an extension of the already published choreography pattern for industrial automation including orchestration capabilities into a choreography. In this way, also non-choreography-enabled subsystems can participate in a choreography. This opens up a further degree of freedom and thus increases the flexibility and adaptability of production systems.