Evaluation of Selected Control Programming Languages for Process Engineers by Means of Cognitive Effectiveness and Dimensions

Abstract

Different programming languages can be used for discrete, abstract and process-oriented programming. Depending on the application, there exist additional requirements, which are not fulfilled by every programming language. Flexible programming and maintainability are especially important requirements for process engineers. In this paper, the programming languages Activity Diagram, State Chart Diagram and Sequential Function Chart are compared and evaluated with regard to these requirements. This evaluation is based on the principles of cognitive effectiveness and cognitive dimensions. The aim of this paper is to identify the programming language suited best for controlling sequential processes, e.g. thermomechanical or batch processes.

Assessing the Usefulness of a Visual Programming IDE for Large-Scale Automation Software

“…Their study focused on new applications and was performed with a large group of participants consisting of both students and industrial practitioners. The visual language SFC was compared to the UML Activity Diagrams and State Charts in [17] with a focus on process technology, showing that Activity Diagrams are best suited for designing flexible and modular sequences. The study evaluated the languages based on the cognitive effectiveness, but does not include experimental results.…”