TwinCAT for the Process Industry:

Module Type Package (MTP)

 Cyber-physical modularization makes it possible customized products economically in smaller loT

What is MTP? to build and adapt flexible process engineering

plants with little effort. As a result, inflexible auto-
size is becoming essential.
One increasingly common approach is to
mation systems that have operated unchanged build process manufacturing plants on a modular
for many years are gradually becoming a thing of basis that gives them the flexibility to be reused.
the past: Customization and flexibility are the way Here, a plant’s overall manufacturing process is
forward for the process industry. segmented into sub-processes that are mapped to
An emerging challenge facing numerous individual modules. To fully modularize the plant,
sectors in the process industry, such as for example, a separate, decentralized controller is assigned
pharmaceuticals, is the increasing fluctuation they to each module. The modules are then connected
are seeing across their markets. The pressure to to a higher-level controller (a DCS, for example)
achieve faster times-to-market is pushing them that manages the overall manufacturing process.
to accelerate development cycles. And, as product With this model, the focus of the development
life cycles grow shorter, too, the ability to make effort shifts from plant-centric to module-centric

Distributed Control System

Visualization

OPC UA

MTP MTP
Local HMI Local HMI

TwinCAT MTP TwinCAT MTP

Dosing Reacting

2
engineering – an approach that enables a plant modules must be described. An MTP, as defined
to adapt flexibly and with little effort to changing in VDI/VDE/NAMUR 2658, contains all the infor-
requirements. New modules can be added to mation needed to integrate a particular process
the plant, too, and existing modules reassigned module into a modular process plant – incl. its
or removed as necessary. Changes like these do functionality (in the form of services), commu-
not require plants to be completely re-programmed nication specifications, and an HMI template.
because most of the logic resides in the individ- The interfaces defined in the MTP standard are
ual modules. The higher-level controller merely designed to enable plug-and-produce operation,
coordinates the modules and the services they and so eliminate overhead when a processing
provide, which is why it is described as the process plant is repurposed or reused. Thus, modules
orchestration layer (POL). need only to be developed once, and can be
In practice, this model is implemented to a incorporated into different plants, regardless
vendor-neutral standard, the NAMUR Module of the controller vendor or POL.
Type Package (MTP), which defines how process

Orchestration

Inert/Fill Inert
(Module 4) (Module 5)
Inert/Fill Inert/Fill Inert/Fill
(Module 1) (Module 2) (Module 3)
Dose Startup
(Module 4) (Module 5)

Waiting

MTP MTP
Local HMI Local HMI

TwinCAT MTP TwinCAT MTP

Mixing Filtration

3
Module In TwinCAT, the MTP concept is built into the prod- tration layer (e.g. a DCS) to use to control
ucts TwinCAT MTP Runtime and TwinCAT MTP the module. A standard-compliant PLC template
Engineering. TwinCAT Engineering provides project is generated, too, in which the elements defined

engineering management capabilities, which incorporate

TwinCAT MTP Engineering as a specific project
are mapped to function blocks in an MTP-
specific IEC 61131 library. This minimizes the

with TwinCAT
type. This project type supports source code effort required for developers programming
generation for PLC projects, which use TwinCAT modules because service relationships, for
MTP Runtime to create a standard-compliant example, are implemented automatically.

MTP interface in a process plant module.

The first step is to use the project manage-
Developers only need to program the process-
specific service states.
ment features to describe a module by defining Using the TwinCAT XCAD Interface option,
its services and HMI objects, along with additional code generation can be customized and the
information. The entire MTP can then be exported information made usable in other processing.
out of the project, ready for a process orches- Any changes made subsequently in the MTP

Plant engineering

MTP
Module engineering

With TwinCAT MTP, an MTP The MTP is exported and can

can be imported and used be used by a POL (e.g. a DCS)
additionally as an interface to control the module.
to a P&ID editor. Alternatively,
the TwinCAT MTP Automation
Interface can be used to integra-
te proprietary data sources.

Import Define Export Customize code

P&ID services MTP generation

The services and other module Optional: TwinCAT XCAD offers

characteristics (e.g. service options for customizing code
dependencies) can be defined generation and processing
in TwinCAT MTP. the information generated in
a targeted manner.

4
 project management system are incorporated TwinCAT MTP highlights
through automatic project comparison. ƒƒ integrated into engineering system
The project can then be activated. The variables ƒƒ generates PLC template code in
for the interfaces defined are provisioned to preparation of state programming
the POL automatically through TwinCAT OPC UA. ƒƒ generates and exports MTP
automatically
ƒƒ uses TwinCAT OPC UA on target
system
ƒƒ can be combined with TwinCAT
XCAD Interface

MTP import Automatic Orchestration Process Orchestration Layer

HMI generation (e.g. DCS)

TwinCAT MTP then generates When the configuration is

a PLC template. The template activated, TwinCAT auto-
is based on the TwinCAT MTP matically ensures that the
library and contains extensive POL can initiate OPC UA
OPC UA
logic that pre-configures it to communication as described
all the requirements specified in the MTP.
in the standard.

Generate Program Activate

PLC code

The pre-configured code is then

finalized by programming the
states of the services defined
previously.

5
Integration into On the engineering side, TwinCAT MTP, like PLC source code, MTP description, and other
numerous other TwinCAT components, is fully program source code.
integrated into the engineering environment On the runtime side, TwinCAT MTP consists

TwinCAT through Microsoft Visual Studio®. MTP-specific

pre-programming – to create services or
of an IEC 61131 library used by the generated
source code. The function blocks described in this
parameters, for example – can be carried out library ensure compliant representation via the
through a separate project type in a separate OPC UA interface. Thus, TwinCAT OPC UA uses
MTP repository. TwinCAT Engineering allows the TwinCAT MTP library to enable standard-
the MTP and the PLC source code to be compliant data access.
created, edited and managed in a single
environment through a common project
folder. With TwinCAT Engineering connected
to a version control system, projects can be
stored consistently, long-term, with their

Data objects
Configuration of PLC blocks for
dynamic HMI objects

Services
Configuration of services, procedures
and parameters

Service relations
Configuration of services’ state
dependencies

Text lists
Configuration of service- and
parameter-specific enumerations

Example of an MTP function block

that displays an analog value, used
to implement the interface type
defined in the standard

Engineering environment
with built-in MTP and PLC
project management.

Source code generated from

the MTP project created

Configuration of the selected

MTP element’s properties

6
Benefits of the TwinCAT MTP Runtime (TF8400)
IEC 61131 library for implementing
the MTP interface types

MTP for the TwinCAT MTP Engineering (TF8401)

process industry
TwinCAT project management functions
for configuring the MTP

TwinCAT OPC UA (TF6100)

Integrated OPC UA Server for communi-
cation between module and POL

TwinCAT XCAD Interface (TE1120)

Option for customized code generation

Highlight Benefits of MTP Benefits of TwinCAT MTP

The MTP is a concept that can leverage ƒƒ minimized plant engineering ƒƒ automatic code generation
optimization potential in process means faster time-to-market in compliance with VDI/VDE/
plants across the board, from planning ƒƒ short time-to-repair through NAMUR 2658 standard
to operation. This makes the MTP a unified module interfaces ƒƒ highly customizable for easy
crucial element in the development ƒƒ module reusability enables adaptation to existing processes
of future-proof automation systems. custom production runs in ƒƒ standard-compliant IEC 61131
small batches function block library
ƒƒ numbering-up instead of ƒƒ simple MTP/P&ID import
complex scale-up procedures ƒƒ seamless integration with
ƒƒ HMI system with unified look TwinCAT Engineering
and feel

7
 DK3872-0620
Learn more at
 www.beckhoff.com/twincat-mtp

Beckhoff Automation GmbH & Co. KG

Hülshorstweg 20
33415 Verl
Germany
Phone: + 49 5246 963-0
info@beckhoff.com
www.beckhoff.com

Beckhoff®, TwinCAT®, EtherCAT®, EtherCAT G®, EtherCAT G10®, EtherCAT P®, Safety over EtherCAT®, TwinSAFE®, XFC®, XTS® and XPlanar®
are registered trademarks of and licensed by Beckhoff Automation GmbH. Other designations used in this publication may be trademarks
whose use by third parties for their own purposes could violate the rights of the owners.

© Beckhoff Automation GmbH & Co. KG 06/2020

The information provided in this brochure contains merely general descriptions or characteristics of performance which in case of actual
application do not always apply as described or which may change as a result of further development of the products. An obligation to
provide the respective characteristics shall only exist if expressively agreed in the terms of contract.

We reserve the right to make technical changes.

Picture Proof: NAMUR/ZVEI