IEC 61499 Device Management Model through the lenses of RMAS

The RMAS (relational-model multi-agent-system) architecture has been proven as promising multi-agent architecture towards the introduction of autonomic intelligence for industrial agents. In particular, it has been proven also suitable for the enforcement of some parts of the reference model in the IEC 61499 standard for distributed adaptive automation and control systems, namely the Resource model and the Function Block model. In this paper the focus is extended to the Device Management model of the standard, in order to highlight how RMAS can express the essential self-* capabilities of autonomic industrial agents also in the context of this standard’s reference model. This step is considered major for the factual introduction of AI in industrial playground, with keen attention to a technology that guarantees the explainability, and so controllability and quality of the intelligent automation solutions for industry.