Automated PLC software testing using adapted UML sequence diagrams

Benjamin Kormann, Dmitry Tikhonov, Birgit Vogel-Heuser

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

19 Scopus citations

Abstract

Current production plants are highly customizable and flexible in their processes. This flexibility is mainly realized by software. It causes an increasing complexity of control software components and the need of new methods for comprehensive and automated testing approaches to ensure a requested level of quality at high efficiency. A survey among mechanical engineering companies of the industries aerospace, automotive and machine/plant automation was conducted. Aspects of requirements engineering, testing, simulation, processes, tools, etc. were addressed to reveal research demands of PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) control software development in machine/plant automation. A system architecture embedding UML sequence diagrams for testing is proposed. We further contribute transformation rules of semantically adapted UML sequence diagrams to the cyclic execution logic of PLCs for reactive systems. The approach can be applied to any IEC 61131-3 programming language of the automation control software. A prototypical realization shows proof of concept and reveals the potential for future work.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings - INCOM'12, 14th IFAC Symposium on Information Control Problems in Manufacturing
PublisherIFAC Secretariat
Pages1615-1621
Number of pages7
EditionPART 1
ISBN (Print)9783902661982
DOIs
StatePublished - 2012
Event14th IFAC Symposium on Information Control Problems in Manufacturing, INCOM'12 - Bucharest, Romania
Duration: 23 May 201225 May 2012

Publication series

NameIFAC Proceedings Volumes (IFAC-PapersOnline)
NumberPART 1
Volume14
ISSN (Print)1474-6670

Conference

Conference14th IFAC Symposium on Information Control Problems in Manufacturing, INCOM'12
Country/TerritoryRomania
CityBucharest
Period23/05/1225/05/12

Keywords

  • IEC 61131-3
  • PLC
  • Real-Time
  • Semantics
  • Software Testing
  • UML

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