AML as a plant floor language

End users would benefit from a standard plant floor language able to control robots, NC tools, and a broad variety of other manufacturing and test equipment. AML, A Manufacturing Language, is now portable, with implementations running on a variety of IBM and non-IBM computers. We have experimented with AML enhancements, including multi-tasking, linkages to other computer languages, and data type and operator extensibility. In addition, we have studied issues of AML compilation and its use as a unified language for CAD/CAM. AML has been used experimentally to run non-IBM robots. It is suitable for controlling NC machine tools. Based on the requirements for a general purpose plant floor language, AML is emerging as a strong candidate for a potential standard in industrial automation. © 1986.