Microservices-Based Architecture to Support Automation Applications in Smart Industries with End-to-End Real-Time Requirements

New industrial automation applications necessitate flexibility, scalability, and ability to be reconfigured in response to alterations that occur during their operation, to attain optimal operational points. This work presents an architecture for the development of industrial automation applications with different real-time requirements. The proposed architecture employs a scheduler based on fixed priorities to manage the execution of containerized tasks, which are integrated through the Data Distribution Service (DDS) middleware, and incorporates a bridge to a Controller Area Network (CAN), thereby enabling the fulfillment of End-to-End (E2E) real-time deadlines in distributed applications. The results of the implemented case studies provide corroboration for the validity of the proposed solution. This architecture facilitates scalability, reconfiguration, and consistency of information, addressing the solution of two of the main challenges currently presented in the development of industrial automation systems. The first of these challenges is related to the integration of industrial automation solutions, while the second is related to the reconfiguration of the systems in compliance with real-time requirements.