Today, the alarm and monitoring system is designed as monolithic software. Many different systems and thousands of different sensors have to be integrated into the system with their specific physical and software connections. The situation in the process industry is similar. There, too, is a central control room from which employees monitor and control different processes characterised by a very large number of sensors and actuators. To reduce the effort significantly, a cross-company committee under the leadership of the associations NAMUR and ZVEI has been tackling this issue for about five years. The participants have developed a concept for modular automation of process plants. The approach, which is already being used in initial applications, is currently being prepared for standardisation in VDE/VDI/NAMUR Guideline 2658. In future, it will enable the design of modular process plants independent of manufacturers.
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