5 languages of programming standard IEC 6-1131/3
Trace Mode’6 provides a wide range of tools for programming the tasks of ASUTP and business applications (ASUP), focused on specialists of various qualifications and professional training. The Trace Mode’ 6 system includes 5 programming languages - Techno SFC, Techno LD, Techno FBD, Techno ST, and Techno IL. These languages are the expansion of languages
- SFC (Sequential Function Chart),
- LD (Ladder Diagram),
- FBD (Function Block Diagram),
- ST (Structured Text) and
- IL (Instruction List)
international standard IEC 6-1131/3. This standard has been developed since 1993 by the International Electrical Commission (International Electrotechnical Commission) and has long been recognized both in Europe and in the USA and around the world by leading automation manufacturers.
Programming languages Trace Mode’ 6 of the IEC 6-1131/3 Standard include 3 visual languages (FBD, SFC, LD), focused on engineers and business analytics and 2 text (ST, IL), oriented to programmers. Using IEC 61131-3 Trace Mode’6 languages, controllers and algorithms of the man-mass interface (HMI) and EAM and MES tasks are equally comfortably programmed.
MAK 6-1131/3 Trace Mode’ 6 languages combine sufficient functionality, simplicity and protect the Trace Mode® 6 user from most errors that often arise using ordinary programming languages. IEC IEC 6-1131/3 in the integrated SCADA/Soflogic/MES/EAM/HRM system Trace Mode’ 6 not only fully satisfies the requirements of the standard, but also provides the user with an additional service in the form of an extended set of functional blocks that implement typical management algorithms.
For all 5 languages, there is a single connection mechanism with the real time database Trace Mode’6. Each program has a set of arguments, the initial data is transmitted to the program through the input arguments, and the results of the calculations are returned to the output of the arguments. Arguments are associated with the attributes of the Trace Mode 6 channels, i.e. with real entrances and outputs of controllers and USSO, corporate database cells, or with internal variables. Thus, the same program can be called several times per cycle for processing different data streams.
Programming and debugging programs in IEC 6-1131/3 in Trace Mode 6 is carried out in an integrated development environment that includes several different editors. Programs in Techno FBD, Techno LD and Techno SFC are created and debugged in special visual editors, and Techno ST and Techno IL are more traditional languages, programming on which is carried out in a text editor. Despite the differences, programs in different languages of the IEC 6-1131/3 in Trace Mode’ 6 can interact with each other. For example, the TechNO FBD program can cause a functional unit written in Techno ST, and a subprogram on Techno LD, etc., can be called inside this block. Such flexibility in choosing the means of describing the algorithms allows you to effectively work on one task and a programmer, a technologist, and an engineer-owner and a business consultant, when each of them performs his part of the work in a way convenient for him.
A brief description of languages
The Techno FBD language is intended for engineers-technologists who solve the problems of management of the process process. It is difficult to come up with a more visual tool for programming contours of management and regulation. The program on Techno FBD is a scheme consisting of a set of functional blocks interconnected through the inputs and outputs. The Trace Mode® 6 includes more than 150 typical functional blocks that implement a wide set of functions – from the simplest logical operations to the finished adaptive regulator. Filtering, PID, traffic rules, modal, fuzzy, positional regulation, PWM-transformation, statistical, trigonometric, as well as valve control units, valve, motor-all this is implemented in the form of standard FBD-blocks Trace Mode® 6.
The Techno LD language will appeal to engineers accustomed to compiling relay logic schemes. Outwardly, the LD editor is very similar to the FBD editor, but instead of functional blocks, the user is invited to use “contacts” and “coils”. If desired, you can also include splapses from conventional FBD blocks in the TechNO LD circuit, although this possibility of Trace Mode’ 6 is somewhat beyond the standard.
Techno ST is primarily focused on programmers, it is a high -level programming language similar to Pascal. It supports arrays (including multidimensional ones), types of transformation of types, there are structures such as Do-While, Repeat-to-DO, IF-teen-OF, CASE-OF and other operators intuitively understandable to any programmer. The program title is automatically built according to the list of arguments, which allows you to save time on the design of the program. Office words, marks, comments and numerical constants are highlighted in color, as is customary in modern development media, color settings are available to the user.
Techno il is the simplest language of mnemonic instructions that looks like an assembler. This language was included in the standard for programming controllers with low computing power. IL programs are easily broadcast into machine codes of any processor, which allows you to create very fast programs. However, today the performance problem has long been solved, and really Techno IL has no advantages over ST or FBD, especially when it comes to programming the operator station. However, this language was included in the Trace Mode’ 6 to support outdated equipment. In itself, this fact once again emphasizes the advantage of the IEC 6-1131/3 Standard to even more advanced, but local automation.
Techno SFC is a powerful means of structuring complex algorithms. In fact, SFC is not an independent language. Translated from English, the SFC abbreviation can be translated as a functional sequence scheme. Outwardly, the program on the TechNO SFC is similar to the algorithm block diagram, which displays separate software blocks (steps), transitions between them and the conditions under which these transitions are executed.Each software unit, like each transition condition, is a subprogram on any of the languages of the IEC 6-1131/3 standard. This language is very convenient for programming staging processes, dosing systems and business applications. Techno SFC can be easily used by both engineers and business analysts.
Programs in IEC 6-1131/3 can be transferred to Trace Mode 6 from any other platform that supports this standard.
Unlike some other SCADA systems, in which the interpreters of the IEC 6-1131/3 are implemented, the development environment of Trace Mode 6 compiles in the machine codes of the program written in all 5 languages, including SFC! This allows you to achieve the maximum productivity of information processing in real time.
The exhaustive debugging means and the use of standard languages IEC 6-1131/3 guarantee the reliability of the final product. The costs of programming, debugging and maintaining algorithms in the SCADA and Softlogic system Trace Mode 6 are usually an order of magnitude less than when using universal languages.
Examples of programming in Trace Mode
An example of developing a simple software depositor in FBD in SCADA Trace Mode is shown in the next training film: