Applying software engineering practices for development of industrial automation applications

In order to maximize cost and quality gains, industrial automation systems need to incorporate the best practices of software engineering in their application development process. However, this requires the right set of tools and methodologies that cater to the needs of the automation domain. While there have been a few efforts towards applying state-of-the-art software engineering tools and techniques to the automation domain, these have not been universally adopted. This paper discusses some of the challenges in adopting software engineering principles for industrial automation application development. Further, the paper presents a case for research activities to look for more practical solutions for industrial applications.