Abstract: A method for configuring a modular industrial plant using an engineering tool includes using a plant engineering facility of the tool to create a representation of the modular industrial plant identifying modules to be orchestrated in the modular industrial plant. The modules include at least one function module that includes control software for the modular industrial plant. The method further includes using a module engineering facility of the tool to configure the function module for use in the modular industrial plant by editing a placeholder configuration file created by the tool for defining the configuration of the function module. Editing the configuration file causes a representation of the function module in the plant engineering facility to be automatically updated to reflect adaptations made to the function module using the module engineering facility. The method includes instructing the tool to assign the function modules so configured to the modular industrial plant.

Abstract: A system and method includes storing a description of at least one sensor in a database; storing a description of the at least one actuator in the database; storing a PLC-list comprising a description of the at least one PLC in the database; writing a controller program that describes an action of the at least one actuator caused by the at least one sensor; selecting, based on the database and the controller program, a PLC of the PLC-list, which is able to functionally connect the sensor and the actuator; generating an application for controlling the selected PLC based on the selected PLC and the controller program; and transferring the application to the selected PLC thus configuring and/or functionally connecting the at least one sensor and the at least one actuator of the sub-system.

Abstract: A method for verifying the design of a function module in an industrial plant having control logic for a physical process; logic to accept commands from a superordinate management system; communication between logics and between the function module and the industrial plant; and input/output channels, the method comprising: obtaining a ruleset comprising at least requirements for I/O channels and their connections that are necessary conditions for the function module to perform its intended function in the industrial plant; checking whether the input/output channels of the function module and their connections meet the rules in the ruleset; and in response to determining that at least one rule in the ruleset is not met, determining that the design of the function module has an error, and preventing use of the function module in the modular industrial plant.

Abstract: A method for generating an enriched alarm message associated to an initial alarm message of a concerned component of a plant includes providing a plurality of information model rules related to alarm messages for respective interrelations of components of the plant; applying the plurality of information model rules related to the alarm messages to respective components of a topology of the plant, for generating a system of information model rules related to the respective alarm messages of the plant; inferring logical consequences for the system of information model rules, which are related to the initial alarm message originated by the concerned component; and generating the enriched alarm message by combining the information model rules related to the initial alarm message of the concerned component, based on the inferred logical consequences.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for optimizing execution of an industrial process includes providing a set of resource indicators, each being indicative of an amount of a resource that is required and/or produced by virtue of a particular service being in a particular state; determining a set of candidate programs for execution of the process, each candidate program having a sequence of states of services of process modules such that the sequence accomplishes the industrial process, and the resource requirements of all services in the sequence are fulfilled; determining a set of overall resource requirements for executing the industrial process according to the candidate program; determining a figure of merit for the candidate program; and selecting a candidate program with the best figure of merit as the optimal program for executing the given industrial process.

Abstract: A connecting interface for a function module and/or function module instance in an industrial process environment for connecting an external function to the function module and/or function module instance, The function module and/or function module instance including definitions according to which the industrial process is operated, and the connecting interface containing information to create an external function module containing the external function by which the external functions can be added to the function module and/or function module instance.

Abstract: An apparatus includes: a process control system; at least one process module; and a process module logic entity associated with the at least one process module. The process control system communicates with the at least one process module via a process module interface. The process module logic entity provides a control logic of the at least one process module.

Abstract: The disclosure describes a method associated with a simulation model of a process module configured to execute at least one module service. The process module is interlinkable or interlinked with further process modules to carry out a technical process in a cascade of module services, and includes Providing a process logic specification of the technical process, a control logic specification of the process module, a state engine of the process module from a configuration of the at least one service, and a process connection information of the technical process; Generating at least a part of the simulation model from a combination thereof, and Linking at least a part of the generated simulation model to a module type package for the process module, or extending a module type package for the process module by at least a part of the generated simulation model.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for validating a component specification defining at least one component of an industrial automation system, wherein the component specification is arranged in an object-oriented data format, includes obtaining an invariant specification specifying one or more invariants that must be satisfied for the component specification to be deemed fit for use in conjunction with the industrial automation system; and validating the component specification using the invariants specified in the invariant specification.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining an operational state of an industrial plant includes acquiring alarms raised within the plant and adding them to a pool of important alarms, determining whether a physical state of the plant indicated by a first alarm causes a second alarm or meets a predetermined state-dependent condition and, if so, moving the first alarm to a pool of informative alarms; and determining the operational state of the plant and/or a corrective action for improving this operational state based on the alarms in the pool of important alarms.

Abstract: A method for formulation and modelling of intentions in process plant engineering includes formulating intentions of an actor by guiding the actor to provide the intentions to an assistance system, wherein the intentions are hierarchically structured and comprise at least a goal, describing the goal, an implementation, how the goal can be achieved, and a requirement for the goal and the implementation. The intentions are translated into an intention model, which is transformed into a graphical representation that is provided to the actor.

Abstract: A method performed by an OPC UA client includes importing a node set file pertaining to an OPC UA-enabled automation device, the nodeset file defining validation logic used to validate data to be written to the automation device; preparing data to be written to the automation device; and using the validation logic to validate the prepared data. An alternative method includes importing a nodeset file pertaining to an automation device in which a OPC UA server is embedded, the nodeset file defining validation logic used to validate data to be written to the automation device; receiving data to be written to the automation device; and using the validation logic to validate the received data.

Abstract: A method of providing a software configuration for a modular plant, the method comprising providing a first function module as a parent object, wherein the first function module comprises a function information of the first function module; generating at least a second function module, wherein the second function module is a derived child object of the first function module that inherits the function information of the first function module.

Abstract: A method for determining an interdependency between a plurality of elements in an industrial processing system includes: providing a process flow diagram (PFD) of a topology of the processing system; transforming the PFD into a directed graph, each element of the plurality of elements being transformed into a node and each relation between the plurality of elements being transformed into a directed edge; selecting one node of the plurality of nodes as a starting node; and constructing a subgraph, the subgraph including all the nodes that are forward-connected from the starting node so as to show at least one interdependency between the plurality of elements in the subgraph.

Abstract: A method of automatically augmenting a knowledge model representing one or more automation engineering domains. The method comprises: obtaining instance data relating to at least one component of an industrial automation system, wherein the component represents an instance of at least one entity in the knowledge model; processing the instance data using one or more data analytics algorithms to derive knowledge to be added to the knowledge model; and augmenting the knowledge model to represent the derived knowledge. Corresponding systems are also provided.

Abstract: A method performed by an integration subsystem for integrating a plurality of automation engineering subsystems into an aggregate system, the method comprising using at least one ontological model to interface a first said automation engineering subsystem with a second said automation engineering subsystem. Interoperability of the subsystems is therefore facilitated.

Abstract: A method for non-MTP module integration includes receiving by a wrapper unit logic signals, bus signals and material signals from a non-MTP module, wherein the non-MTP module is a physical module of a process plant, wherein the logic signals comprise information of logic connections and/or functions of the non-MTP module, wherein the bus signals comprise information of outputs of a fieldbus of the non-MTP module, wherein the material signals comprise information of material connections of the non-MTP module; converting, by the wrapper unit, the bus signals to open platform communication identifier architecture, OPC UA, nodes; determining, by the wrapper unit an MTP interface using the logic signals and the material signals; and determining, by the wrapper unit, a MTP conform digital black box module, using OPC UA nodes and the MTP interface.

Abstract: A method for providing a controlling frontend for an operating device configured for operating a field device includes providing an operational frame, wherein the operational frame serves as a generic user interface and is based on a companion specification; reading a field device specification from a database, wherein the field device specification comprises a structured set of field device attributes, which are related to the operating elements; and generating, based on the field device specification and the operational frame, a structured set of display elements for the controlling frontend, wherein at least some of the display elements of the controlling frontend are connected to the operating elements of the field device.

Abstract: An automated maintenance schedule generation method includes: receiving planning data for designing a modular plant comprising physical modules as received planning data; selecting digital modules, correlating to respective physical modules, from a database, depending on the received planning data as respective correlating physical modules, the digital modules including maintenance information of the respective correlating physical modules; associating the selected digital modules depending on the received planning data; determining an expected maintenance need including an expected maintenance issue and/or an expected maintenance issue date for the selected physical modules depending on the received maintenance information as a determined maintenance need; and generating a maintenance schedule for the modular plant depending on the determined maintenance need.

Abstract: A method of providing a control software configuration for a module of a modular plant, the method including, in a module engineering phase: receiving a user definition for the module; and automatically generating the control software configuration for the module based on the user definition, the automatically generating including: specifying parameters for the module that are not specific to any target system; and providing the control software configuration as a controller-agnostic configuration file for subsequent binding of controller software instantiated according to the controller-agnostic configuration file to a hardware controller of the module when the module is integrated into a target system during a plant engineering phase.