IEC 61499 based simulation framework for model-driven production systems development

In the design of plants and machines the complexity is permanently increasing. Model-driven design methodologies in the field of Industrial Automation and Control Systems, as proposed by the MEDEIA project, help to cope with current requirements like limited budget and reduced ramp-up time. Concurrent development in all involved domains is facilitated by the introduction of simulation in the development process. We propose the use of an IEC 61499 industrial automation runtime environment to simulate plants´ behavior. The concept for the simulation framework is based on the coupling of the control application and the plant simulation application via Instrumentation and Control points. The introduction of physical links in the plant simulation application enhances the behavior model of the plants, thus increasing the quality of the obtained simulation results.