Features to facilitate configuration, programming and tests

• Encapsulation of program units
• Libraries of pre-tested, application-specific function blocks
• Standardised programming languages, e.g. as a subset of IEC 61131-3
    (Function blocks, sequential function charts, strong data type checking)
• Cause + effect matrix programming
• Use of Simulator

Features to support modifications

• Encapsulation of program units
• Function blocks without global variables
• Safety-related and non-safety-related program and parameter are secrued by individual CRC-checksums
• Revision comparator
• Version-Control System with individual access rights
    Configuration checker (Example: is the proposed online-modification allowed ?)