Dima stands for 'Decentralized intelligence for modular systems'. The aim of the project initiated by Wago is to create a de facto standard for the decentralized, modular automation of process systems and for efficient engineering. This should enable industrial companies to set up flexible process plants, shorten product cycles and react more quickly to new market conditions. Following its initial presentation at the end of 2014, this new approach was adopted by the Namur and ZVEI committees with the aim of further specifying it and developing an international standard in the long term.

In order to implement the Dima methodology technically, a new definition for the description of process plant modules is required: the 'Module Type Package' (MTP). The following information is stored in this MTP: Communication parameters so that the module can be easily integrated into the system, the services, i.e. the description of what the module can do in terms of process engineering, and the information for operation and monitoring, i.e. graphical information. In addition, there are further descriptions such as information on status, diagnostics, history and archiving.

In order to make the entire engineering or re-engineering process as efficient as possible, Copa-Data has now developed an MTP handling and management system. With this system, companies can read in the MTPs and create all the required variables and operating screens as well as their links. All information regarding the name, size, position and variable links of the screen objects in the operating screens originate from the MTP. This ensures that operating screens of modules from different manufacturers, which were read in by different MTPs, correspond to the customer-specific "look & feel" in the control system. Users can also track which artifacts were generated by which MTP in Zenon, Copa-Data's control system, at any time. This makes it possible to connect the various modules required in the process even while the system is running.

In addition to the creation and connection of variables and operating screens, the services contained in the MTP are created as basic functions in the Zenon 'Batch Control' module. The basic functions can be parameterized as required and linked to each other in the form of recipes. After this step, the system's production process is ready to run.