The new IEC 1131 standard for programmable controller languages brings the benefits of `open systems´ to industrial control systems

Reviews the benefits to be gained in developing industrial control systems using products that are based on languages and architecture formalised by the IEC 1131 standard for programmable controllers: (1) The languages encourage a well-structured `top-down´ or `bottom-up´ program development though use of typed functional elements such as functions, function blocks and programs. (2) The languages impose strong type checking, thus removing a major source of programming errors. (3) The standard provides a rich set of features for describing the actions of the control program while in different states, and to define event-driven sequential control and algorithms. (4) Function blocks allow packaged proven solutions and algorithms to be reused in different projects and on different projects and on different vendors´ controllers