In Modul4r, we focused on developing a smart Hardware Plug‑and‑Produce solution for rapid reactions to changes on the shop floor and less engineering effort. Our approach follows an object‑oriented development methodology based on the IEC 61499 standard. Throughout the project, we created reusable automation objects that require little to no parameterization, allowing them to be deployed quickly in real production environments.
Such an object is represented by a CAT (Composite Automation Type), a core concept within Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Automation Expert development environment. A key advantage of a CAT is that its Human Machine Interface (HMI) is embedded directly into the object itself, meaning the visualization only needs to be created once and is automatically reused for every instance.
As part of Modul4r, we built a multi‑layer hierarchical structure that mirrors a real shop floor inside our software. Every layer and every object within this digital structure is modeled as a CAT, making the entire architecture modular, consistent, and highly reusable.
Building on this foundation, we introduced an additional development: the CPSizer (Cyber Physical Systemizer). The CPSizer connects to both legacy PLCs and IEC 61499‑based PLCs, creating an automated digital representation of the physical shop floor within our software environment.
Beyond pure connectivity, the CPSizer also establishes an automatic MQTT‑basedcloud connection, where all MQTT topics are generated directly from our object‑oriented structure. This means no manual configuration or engineering effort is required - topic generation and hierarchy emerge naturally from the system’s model. In addition, the CPSizer provides the capability to create and deploy control applications, using the IEC 61499 standard to support distributed logic execution across multiple devices.
With this combination of automated cloud integration, legacy‑friendly connectivity, and distributed control capabilities, the CPSizer serves as a powerful cyber‑physical bridge between real industrial hardware and our modular, software‑defined automation architecture.
