A method for computer-aided control of an automation system, wherein the automation system comprises a number of machines and is controlled in real operation by use of a digital simulation model which simulates the automation system and which is specified by a number of configuration parameters describing the configuration of the automation system and a number of state parameters describing the operational state of the automation system, where simulated operation runs of the automation system based on the simulation model can be performed with the aid of a computer, where a simulation run predicts a number of performance parameters of the automation system, wherein the following steps are performed at each processing event of a plurality of successive predetermined processing events during the real operation of the automation system: a) sensing the number of state parameters of the automation system in real operation and performing a simulated operation run based on the simulation model specified by the number of configuration parameters and the number of sensed state parameters; b) if one or more predetermined performance parameters out of the number of performance parameters predicted by the simulated operation run in step a) do not fulfil a performance criterion with respect to a minimum performance of the automation system, adapting the simulation model by changing one or more predetermined configuration parameters out of the number of configuration parameters such that the one or more predetermined performance parameters predicted by a simulated operation run based on the adapted simulation model fulfil the performance criterion, where the one or more predetermined configuration parameters comprise for one or more of the number of machines (1, 2, 3, 4) the processing time of at least one processing step performed by the respective machine (1, 2, 3, 4) and/or the position of the respective machine (1, 2, 3, 4) within the automation system; c) adjusting the one or more predetermined configuration parameters of the automation system in real operation to the changed predetermined configuration parameters (CP') determined in step b). a) sensing the number of state parameters of the automation system in real operation and performing a simulated operation run based on the simulation model specified by the number of configuration parameters and the number of sensed state parameters; b) if one or more predetermined performance parameters out of the number of performance parameters predicted by the simulated operation run in step a) do not fulfil a performance criterion with respect to a minimum performance of the automation system, adapting the simulation model by changing one or more predetermined configuration parameters out of the number of configuration parameters such that the one or more predetermined performance parameters predicted by a simulated operation run based on the adapted simulation model fulfil the performance criterion, where the one or more predetermined configuration parameters comprise for one or more of the number of machines (1, 2, 3, 4) the processing time of at least one processing step performed by the respective machine (1, 2, 3, 4) and/or the position of the respective machine (1, 2, 3, 4) within the automation system; c) adjusting the one or more predetermined configuration parameters of the automation system in real operation to the changed predetermined configuration parameters (CP') determined in step b).