A framework-based approach to control system engineering following IEC61499

Global competition and rapidly changing market requirements pose significant challenges for traditional control system engineering. To achieve systematic reuse in control system engineering, a framework-based approach is presented. Framework technology promotes reusing both architecture and components, thereby benefiting the whole lifecycle of control systems. An architecture that mainly consists of HMI, engineering tool, function block repository, and intelligent devices is proposed, which enables architecture level reuse. The component model with IEC61499 is introduced as the building block. The framework-based engineering methodology integrates new technologies in software engineering with IEC61499, and provides design pattern level reuse. An illustrative example of control system development for a water tank is presented, using the framework-based approach.