The world is distributed – full stop!

Actual control solutions cannot sufficiently respond to the exigencies of distribution. Even much less if visualisation is involved. The solution is an integrated software based on IEC 61499 for distributed control systems.

IEC 61499 Norm

Where IEC 61499 has its advantages

IEC 61499 is the successor of the IEC 61131 standard. It provides the basis for modern automation. IEC 61499-based control technology can be used to programme complete plant and equipment, even with several controllers in a distributed control system. Distributed intelligence is thereby enabled. An essential prerequisite for future trends like Industry 4.0, Internet-of-Things, Smart Grids.

Abstraction

Same program languages as IEC 61131 but with a PLUS

IEC 61499 uses the same programming languages as IEC 61131, but it provides many more solution possibilities. A main paradigm of IEC 61499 is the event-driven execution model, which enables the distribution of control logic (at nxtControl the communication paths are built automatically). Moreover integration into IT-Systems is much easier as both worlds are then event-driven.

Main differences compared to IEC 61131

IEC 61499

  • Event-driven program execution
  • Programming of complete systems
  • Real-time enabled
  • Programs created with other IEC 61499 engineering tools can be processed without import/export
  • Control logic can be distributed to several controllers. Communication between controllers is defined
  • Libraries of different vendors can be used by any IEC 61499 compliant engineering tool

IEC 61131

  • Cyclic programme execution
  • Programming of single controllers
  • Real-time enabled