Abstract :
Reviews the benefits to be gained in developing industrial control systems using products that are based on languages and architecture formalised by the IEC 1131 standard for programmable controllers: (1) The languages encourage a well-structured `top-down´ or `bottom-up´ program development though use of typed functional elements such as functions, function blocks and programs. (2) The languages impose strong type checking, thus removing a major source of programming errors. (3) The standard provides a rich set of features for describing the actions of the control program while in different states, and to define event-driven sequential control and algorithms. (4) Function blocks allow packaged proven solutions and algorithms to be reused in different projects and on different projects and on different vendors´ controllers
