Configuration of PLC software for automated warehouses based on reusable components- an industrial case study

In the development of PLC software for automated Production Systems the method copy & paste is commonly used. However, this method leads to various disadvantages. To avoid these disadvantages, a parameter-based concept for planed reuse is presented in this paper. By means of the Siemens PLC software of an automated warehouse, the concept is defined and evaluated. In a first step, the PLC software is analyzed and reusable parts as well as variation points are identified. Subsequently, it is demonstrated that the warehouse variants can be clearly described by a suitable set of parameters. In a last step the automatic configuration of the PLC software by using the identified parameters as well as a Step7 source code template is explained and evaluated.