Meta-Modeling and Automatic Code Generation for Computer Aided Development of Logic Control Systems

Abstract

This article discusses some aspects of the computer aided development of logic control systems, namely the creation of a meta-model, a domain specific language serving as a base for the system modeling, as well as the formal rules for automatic transformation of the models designed by the experts using this meta-model into simulation models, a source PLC code and the relevant documentation. The problem is defined and proved as important from the point of view of the contemporary industrial software development in order to achieve more readable designs, which are later easier to be modified, to shorten the system development time, to obtain a fast proof-ofconcept and to lessen the possibility of having errors in the design. Furthermore, some directions are pointed out regarding the possible future extension of the used techniques towards automatic testing and validation of the developed logic control systems.