Abstract: An automation system includes at least one automation object, with a directory for storing object names of the at least one automation object. An object name is assigned a directory entry which includes first information data as a reference to the automation object; second information data as a description of technological functionality; and third information data as a description of interfaces of the automation object. This results in immediate and permanent access to currently created (partial) solutions, so that parallel and/or distributed working on automation objects is possible.

Abstract: A method is described for communication among equal-access stations of a ring-shaped, serial fiber-optic bus and to a device for carrying out this communications method. One station, during a bus cycle, generates container messages in a strictly time-cyclical manner, addresses them, and provides them to the serial bus, and it transmits a synchronization message at the end of the bus cycle time, each station writing its data into container messages that are addressed to it, and each station, depending on its read authorization, reading the container messages of the serial bus, all the data that have been read in the stations being imported with the assistance of the synchronization message. Thus, equal-access stations of a ring-shaped, serial fiber-optic bus can exchange data, in direct-access, extremely quickly and in a strictly time-cyclical manner.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an automation system with at least one automation module (1), which has at least one automation object (A1-An), and with function modules (F1-F6), which contain means for central management and maintenance of the automation objects (A1-An). As a result, a manufacturer-independent definition of new automation objects, possibly using already existing automation objects, becomes possible, costly separate programming of new automation solutions is no longer necessary at all or is at least significantly simplified.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an automation system with at least one automation module (1), which has at least one automation object (A1-An), and with function modules (F1-F6), which contain means for central management and maintenance of the automation objects (A1-An). As a result, a manufacturer-independent definition of new automation objects, possibly using already existing automation objects, becomes possible, costly separate programming of new automation solutions is no longer necessary at all or is at least significantly simplified.

Abstract: A shaftless rotary printing press includes a plurality of individually driven printing stations and at least one separately driven folding unit. The drives which work with one folding unit in one rotation are connected to a drive control unit by a control and parameterization bus and to a device for generating a setpoint and a synchronization signal by means of a parallel synchronization bus, and the drives are each connected to the synchronization bus, which is designed as a ring bus by a bus interface. This yields a rotary printing press without shafting which is so flexible that its printing stations can be synchronized with any desired folding unit from one production to another simply and inexpensively.