A modular control device for solenoid valve islands, particularly for the actuation of actuators is described, having a control module for controlling a solenoid valve adapted for actuating an actuator, a communication module adapted to exchange information signals with such an actuator and an electrical connection module adapted to receive control signals from a user. The electrical connection module transmits the control signals to the control module and receives the information signals from the communication module. The electrical connection module has a processing and control unit configured to receive, store and process the information signals and the control signals.

A system and method for a self-contained modular manufacturing device having self-contained modular tools configured to collectively accomplish a specific task or function in a hierarchical control manner. In an embodiment, the modular device includes a housing that has a mount configured to engage a robotic arm or other form of maneuvering actuator (such a crane or gantry). The housing provides a base by which additional modules may be mounted and coupled. The modular device also includes an interface configured to communicate with a remote master control system capable of control the robotic arm. The modular device also includes one or more other modules that are configured to accomplish a particular task or function. Such modules are sometimes called end-effectors and work in conjunction with each other to accomplish tasks and functions. In a self-contained modular manufacturing device, individual processors disposed in the housing are configured to control the functional tools (e.g., each end-effector) independent of the overall manufacturing control system and pass control of the self-contained modular device between local controllers in a hierarchical manner.

A method of providing a control software configuration for a module of a modular plant, the method including, in a module engineering phase: receiving a user definition for the module; and automatically generating the control software configuration for the module based on the user definition, the automatically generating including: specifying parameters for the module that are not specific to any target system; and providing the control software configuration as a controller-agnostic configuration file for subsequent binding of controller software instantiated according to the controller-agnostic configuration file to a hardware controller of the module when the module is integrated into a target system during a plant engineering phase.

A system and method for a self-contained modular manufacturing device having self-contained modular tools configured to collectively accomplish a specific task or function in a hierarchical control manner. In an embodiment, the modular device includes a housing that has a mount configured to engage a robotic arm or other form of maneuvering actuator (such a crane or gantry). The housing may provide a base by which additional modules may be mounted and coupled. The modular device also includes an interface configured to communicate with a remote master control system capable of control the robotic arm. The modular device also includes one or more other modules that are configured to accomplish a particular task or function. Such modules are sometimes called end-effectors and work in conjunction with each other to accomplish tasks and functions. In a self-contained modular manufacturing device, individual processors disposed in the housing may be configured to control the functional tools (e.g., each end-effector) independent of the overall manufacturing control system and pass control of the self-contained modular device between local controllers in a hierarchical manner.