While the reasons for using these different technologies range from cost and features/functionality to brand preference and buyer/seller relationships, the integration of these technologies is largely due to interoperability technologies such as OPC UA and IO-Link.
True modular technology is designed for plug-and-play compatibility with other products. However, historically, this has not been the norm in industrial automation. Even among products that highlight collaborations with groups like the OPC Foundation, integrating many devices with equipment from other suppliers requires significant integration work. In other words, in most cases, many automation technology suppliers have not intentionally designed their products for plug-and-play compatibility with other suppliers, a trend more prevalent in consumer technology.
According to Jeske, MTP-based modular automation aims to transform the most complex processes and automation infrastructure into “a subset of easily configurable building blocks, where each discrete process step, machine, or element has its own identity and instruction set container in MTP. These modular building blocks can then be deployed in any number and combination to create a fully functional processing suite that can be easily reconfigured and expanded simply by adding more blocks.”
MTP method
Each MTP container contains vendor-independent process descriptions of the automation procedures required for the relevant process modules. Jeske says, “The procedures can be generated by the controller or logic engine within the module, then imported and very easily integrated into the main process control architecture. The end result is a highly flexible production architecture created by using standardized process modules.”
A key industry driver behind ABB's focus on MTP is the modularization of mechanical systems and sub-components, with prefabricated and skid-mounted units steadily becoming the norm. Jeske notes that this is particularly true in the pharmaceutical industry. This modular automation approach based on MTP is a software counterpart that perfectly matches this hardware evolution.
In addition to ABB's focus on modular automation, organizations such as NAMUR (International Association of Users of Automation for Process Industries) and ZVEI (German Association of Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers) also strongly support modularization.
For example, the NAMUR standard 2658 on modular production is being incorporated into IEC 63280 (Automation Engineering Standard for Modular Systems in Process Industries) for internationalization.
