The Future of Industrial Control: Decoding IEC 61499

The Future of Industrial Control: Decoding IEC 61499Source:
https://github.com/eclipse-4diac/4diac-documentation/blob/main/src/intro/iec61499.adoc"Dive
into the evolving landscape of industrial automation with 'The
Future of Industrial Control: Decoding IEC 61499.' In this
episode, we break down the foundational IEC 61131-3
standard for PLC programming, exploring its graphical
and textual languages like Ladder Diagram (LD) and Function Block
Diagram (FBD). We'll discuss how a Programmable Logic Controller
(PLC) is a small, specialized computer for industrial use,
programmed via an IDE supplied by the vendor.


We then journey beyond traditional PLCs, uncovering the
challenges of centralized systems and vendor-specific
communication that led to the emergence of IEC
61499. Discover how IEC 61499 revolutionizes industrial
control by defining a domain-specific modeling language
for distributed industrial control solutions. It extends
IEC 61131-3 by improving the encapsulation of software
components for increased re-usability, providing a
vendor-independent format, and
simplifying support for controller-to-controller
communication. This standard also provides the required
infrastructure for Industry 4.0 and industrial IoT
applications.


Learn about the key concepts of IEC 61499, including the
event-driven nature of Function Blocks (FBs),
where events trigger functionality using available data. We'll
explain how an FB's behavior depends on its Event
Execution Control, coordinating the execution of
encapsulated functionalities and sending output events. You'll
understand how applications, created by connecting individual
FBs, can be split and deployed across multiple devices
(PLCs). We'll also detail the different kinds of
Function Blocks: Basic Function Blocks (BFB),
which define a state machine using an Execution Control Chart
(ECC); Composite Function Blocks (CFB), which
contain an internal network of other FBs; and Service
Interface Function Blocks (SIFB), which are needed to
access specific hardware parts and the platform. Finally, we'll
touch on Compliance Profiles, which fill the
gaps left by the standard's abstraction, specifying crucial
'things' like communication for proper system execution."