Due to proprietary, manufacturer-specific control systems, there is currently no comprehensive interoperability between the control components of different manufacturers. In addition, it is only possible to port software from one control system to another with a great deal of engineering effort. UniversalAutomation.Org, which was founded at the beginning of November 2021, is therefore calling for a rethink when it comes to automation. Its goal: manufacturer-independent and software-based automation.

John Conway, CEO: "We are pressing the reset button for automation!"

© Universal Automation

"By founding UniversalAutomation.Org, we want to press the reset button for automation," says John Conway, CEO of the new organization. "We are focusing on IEC 61499 as the standard for interoperability, creating a basis for a new, more open and, above all, more sustainable and efficient industry of the future. By decoupling hardware and software, we offer OEMs and end customers completely new opportunities to get the best out of systems and machines - especially when it comes to combining different technologies."

In order to create a basis for simplified engineering of modern systems, the members of UniversalAutomation.Org are now relying on the reference implementation of an IEC 61499-based control runtime.

Software-based and manufacturer-independent

"IEC 61499 provides for an object-oriented approach with which automated applications can be modelled purely on the software side and distributed decentrally to the hardware components. This creates an important basis for simplified and less error-prone engineering," adds Gregory Boucaud, Chief Marketing Officer of UniversalAutomation.Org. This is mainly due to the fact that IEC 61499 uses special function blocks that encapsulate and map the objects of a system - such as a specific application - with their respective physical and logical behavior. This enables seamless integration into the control application. As these function blocks not only have inputs and outputs for data, but also for events, event-driven program processing can also be implemented. Entire systems or plants can then be modeled using appropriate engineering tools and their control logic freely distributed to different devices without any special consideration of the underlying hardware configuration. This promotes far-reaching system openness on the basis of interoperability and portability.

Gregory Boucaud, Chief Marketing Officer: "Our goal is simplified and less error-prone engineering!"

© Universal Automation

Thanks to the fundamental hardware independence in combination with object-based programming, according to the idea of UniversalAutomation.Org, automation applications can in future be downloaded as if from an app store and simply used via plug-and-produce. The aim is to create a new category of software-centric automation components.

Membership of the new organization is open to all interested parties. Current members include: Aalto University, Advantech, Asus, Belden, Cargill, eaw Relaistechnik GmbH, ESA, ETP, Flexbridge, GR3N, Hirschmann, HTW Berlin, Intel, Jetter, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Kongsberg Maritime, Lawrence Technological University, Lumberg Automation, Phoenix Contact, ProSoft, R. Stahl, Schneider Electric, VP Process, Wilo, Wood, Yokogawa.