Open platform for functional engineering

Automation Framework allows to realize interdisciplinary (mechatronical) software platforms and thus functional engineering for modular mechanical engineering.

Bundled competence

Functional engineering - saves costs and increases quality

What means functional engineering? Machines or systems are grouped into automation modules which are not based on specific limits or the purpose of the used tools, but simply on the functional aspects. Complex systems are thus composed of individual, always reusable modules. These modules contain all data relevant for the respective system component, independent of the type of the data (e.g. CAD plans, field bus configuration, hardware configuration, programming, documentation, visualization data, etc.).

A functional software suite based on Automation Framework is responsible for the connection of these modules as well as their different module dates, guarantees consistent data management and provides the link between data and integrated tools. A machine function is described with all engineering data, the functionality is encapsulated and managed in a catalog for reuse.

The following illustration shows an example for the subdivision of a plant into different automation modules. The "Shrink-packing" module consists of data from different tools (e.g. CAD, PLC programming, visualization) of different manufacturers, which are all integrated in the Automation Framework and can be edited there.

The automation modules find their counterpart in the hierarchical structure of the AF project tree. Added child elements reflect the different properties and tasks of a module. As a consequence, automation modules as well as their child elements are edited with different tools which, like the data sets, are also integrated into Automation Framework.

Definition and encapsulation of reusable machine parts

The engineering effort of automation engineering can be significantly reduced in mechanical and system engineering by defining and encapsulating reusable machine parts with the associated automation modules. Until now, the software-technological requirements to put this into practice were missing.

Catalogs: An interdisciplinary functional suite enables the definition of individual automation components and the standardization through storage in a catalog. Subsequently, an automation module is newly created from individual catalog objects via drag and drop and can be assigned to an independent machine part. This way, more and more standard solutions are created instead of project-specific solutions and the extent of reusability in engineering increases significantly. Catalogs can be downloaded from the Internet or created with the Catalog Editor.

Integrated data management: Following a complete integration of tools into the data model of the platform, relationships can be represented across software limits and applications. All associated software tools are integrated with their data into a standardized interface. The user interface is switched depending on the required engineering tasks. For each engineering task, objects from pre-defined solution catalogs can be used.

The advantage: The automation engineer can completely concentrate on his actual engineering task.

 [AF features: Catalogs]
 [AF features: Integrated data management]