Analysis and state of the art of modules in industrial automation

The benefit of modular concepts in plant automation is seen ambivalent. On one hand it offers advantages, on the other hand it also sets requirements on the system structure as well as designers’ discipline. The main reason to use modularity in systems design for automation applications are reusability and reduction of complexity, but up to now modular concepts are rare in plant automation. This paper analyses the reasons and proposes measures and draft solutions. An analysis of the work flow and the working results of some companies in several branches show different proposals of modularity. These different proposals in production and process engineering are integrated in one model and represent different perspectives of an integrated system.