Understanding and using the IEC 61850: a case for meta-modelling

This paper argues for means to rigorously specify data models and communications services of industrial data communications standards. It uses the example of the recently published IEC 61850 standard ''Communications networks and systems in substations''. The latter applies mainly to electrical supply systems such as substations and decentralised power resources (based on wind, photovoltaic, fuel cells, hydropower). However, the concepts of the IEC 61850 could be used in other industrial areas, as well. The paper shows how the complex standard can be modelled elegantly and precisely with a meta-modelling approach, in which we utilise the UML for the model representation. The conceptual approach presented makes the inherent complexity of the standard's data model manageable for both humans and machines. That is, it facilitates human comprehension and machine processability and thereby contributes to a better understanding of the standard as well as to a better utilisation of the standard through functionality provided in today's CASE tools. One important aspect is that it allows one to establish and maintain consistency across the standard's data and communications models.