A Model-Integrated Computing based tool prototype for designing Programmable Logic Controllers

Computer-Integrated Manufacturing employs computers for controlling the process of production in the manufacturing. Programmable Logic Controllers are controlling devices that commonly used for controlling the process of production. In this paper, we construct a tool prototype based on Model-Integrated Computing for designing Programmable Logic Controllers. By exploring the basic elements and relationships in Programmable Logic Controllers, we abstract a meta-model from them and construct the meta-model in Generic Modeling Environment. After interpreting the meta-model, an extensible and hierarchical tool prototype is generated. A printing control system is taken as a case study. We could construct the Programmable Logic Controller model of the printing control system in the tool prototype. By using the interpreter we have built, non-Ladder Diagram parts of the printing control system model could be translated into Structured Text.