A manufacturing system, comprising: a plurality of industrial robots , a set of robot control devices , wherein each robot control device is arranged to control a respective subset of the industrial robots , a central computer device which is connected to the set of robot control devices and configured to provide, to the set of robot control devices , at least one central mode selection signal (CMR1-CMR3) which defines a request for a switch of operating mode, and at least one local computer device connected to the set of robot control devices , wherein the respective robot control device comprises a mode controller , which is configured to set the operating mode of the respective robot control device based on the at least one central mode selection signal (CMR1-CMR3), wherein the mode controller is operable to set the robot control device in three different modes: - an Automatic mode (AUTO), in which the respective robot control device operates the respective subset of industrial robots in accordance with a predefined control program, - a Manual Reduced Speed mode (MRS), in which the respective robot control device operates the respective subset of the industrial robots to move at low speed based on an operation control signal from the local computer device , and - a Manual Full Speed mode (MFS), in which the respective robot control device operates the respective subset of the industrial robots to move at high speed based on an operation control signal from the local computer device . a plurality of industrial robots , a set of robot control devices , wherein each robot control device is arranged to control a respective subset of the industrial robots , a central computer device which is connected to the set of robot control devices and configured to provide, to the set of robot control devices , at least one central mode selection signal (CMR1-CMR3) which defines a request for a switch of operating mode, and at least one local computer device connected to the set of robot control devices , wherein the respective robot control device comprises a mode controller , which is configured to set the operating mode of the respective robot control device based on the at least one central mode selection signal (CMR1-CMR3), wherein the mode controller is operable to set the robot control device in three different modes: - an Automatic mode (AUTO), in which the respective robot control device operates the respective subset of industrial robots in accordance with a predefined control program, - a Manual Reduced Speed mode (MRS), in which the respective robot control device operates the respective subset of the industrial robots to move at low speed based on an operation control signal from the local computer device , and - a Manual Full Speed mode (MFS), in which the respective robot control device operates the respective subset of the industrial robots to move at high speed based on an operation control signal from the local computer device . - an Automatic mode (AUTO), in which the respective robot control device operates the respective subset of industrial robots in accordance with a predefined control program, - a Manual Reduced Speed mode (MRS), in which the respective robot control device operates the respective subset of the industrial robots to move at low speed based on an operation control signal from the local computer device , and - a Manual Full Speed mode (MFS), in which the respective robot control device operates the respective subset of the industrial robots to move at high speed based on an operation control signal from the local computer device . <EOS>