A control system is for controlling safety-critical processes, non-safety-critical processes, and/or installation components. The control system includes: at least one control unit configured to control non-safety-critical processes and/or non-safety-critical installation components, at least one safety control unit for controlling safety-critical processes and/or safety-critical installation components, and at least one input/output unit connected to the first control unit via an internal input/output bus. The control system is configured to act as communication master or as communication minion or as both in a pool having other devices that is connected via field bus, and to that end, the control system includes a master communication coupler and a minion communication coupler. The control system is modularly configurable. At least the safety control unit includes respective subunits with master functionality and subunits with minion functionalities.

A control system configured to control safety-critical and non-safety-critical processes and/or plant components includes: a non-safety controller module, at least one safety controller module, and at least one condition monitoring module. The non-safety controller module is configured to control the non-safety-critical processes and/or the non-safety-critical plant components. The at least one safety controller module is configured to control the safety-critical processes and/or the safety-critical plant components. The at least one condition monitoring module is configured to perform fail-safe condition monitoring and to collect monitoring data. The non-safety controller module is configured to receive the collected monitoring data from the condition monitoring module and to pass the collected monitoring data to the safety controller module. The safety-controller module is configured to evaluate the monitoring data based on safety conditions.

A control system configured to control safety-critical and non-safety-critical processes and/or plant components includes: a non-safety controller module, at least one safety controller module, and at least one condition monitoring module. The non-safety controller module is configured to control the non-safety-critical processes and/or the non-safety-critical plant components. The at least one safety controller module is configured to control the safety-critical processes and/or the safety-critical plant components. The at least one condition monitoring module is configured to perform fail-safe condition monitoring and to collect monitoring data. The non-safety controller module is configured to receive the collected monitoring data from the condition monitoring module and to pass the collected monitoring data to the safety controller module. The safety-controller module is configured to evaluate the monitoring data based on safety conditions.

A control system is for controlling safety-critical processes, non-safety-critical processes, and/or installation components. The control system includes: at least one control unit configured to control non-safety-critical processes and/or non-safety-critical installation components, at least one safety control unit for controlling safety-critical processes and/or safety-critical installation components, and at least one input/output unit connected to the first control unit via an internal input/output bus. The control system is configured to act as communication master or as communication minion or as both in a pool having other devices that is connected via field bus, and to that end, the control system includes a master communication coupler and a minion communication coupler. The control system is modularly configurable. At least the safety control unit includes respective subunits with master functionality and subunits with minion functionalities.