OPENFB - SYNERGY OF INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION, IOT TECHNOLOGIES AND AI

IEC 61499 Runtime for ML related tasksIEC 61499 Runtime for ML related tasks

WHAT IS OPENFB?

OpenFB is a platform for executing function blocks according to the IEC 61499 standard. OpenFB is based on open source code and allows developers to:

Create custom function blocks without binding to specific hardware manufacturers

Deploy applications on any platform supporting Python 3 (Linux, Windows, embedded OS, RTOS)

Combine components written in Python, C++, and industrial languages into a unified system using standardized network protocols (OPC UA, MQTT, etc.)

Project on Github

USE CASES

Use in distributed control systems in industrial production

Deployment of functional blocks on various hardware nodes. Communication between nodes via OPC UA with automatic state synchronization.

Result: standardization and vendor independence, fault tolerance, and scalability from the local node to the enterprise.
Modeling of technological processes

Debugging and validating control systems before launching on real equipment. Creation of digital twins of production lines. Step-by-step logic execution with event flow visualization.

Result: reduced commissioning time, elimination of failures during initial startup.
Application in the educational process

Designing distributed control systems on standard PCs without specialized hardware setups. Development of full-fledged control applications with subsequent deployment on budget-friendly systems.

Results: reduced software costs for educational institutions, graduates with advanced competencies, and a project portfolio compatible with industrial equipment.

WHAT IS OPENFB SUITABLE FOR?

For industrial manufacturing

Reduce costs and avoid blocking by eliminating vendor lock-in
For system integrators

Expanded solution portfolio: combine components from different manufacturers freely without regard to compatibility
For developers

Developers are no longer tied to proprietary environments: Python, ST, C++ and other languages can be used within a single framework

Reduced cost of ownership

Through the use of open components and a modular architecture

Cybersecurity

O-PAS standardizes security at the architecture level through unified approaches to encryption and authentication via OPC-UA and frameworks

OpenFB runs in a heterogeneous environment

The 61499/61131/C++ program (Forte runtime) publishes messages via OPC UA/MQTT, and the Python component (openFB) subscribes to events and initiates processing. Results (e.g., defect detection) are sent back via a standardized interface

ARCHITECTURE
• Each FB is both a producer and a consumer of data.
• The FB stores input events in a queue and variables in registers.
• Asynchronous processing - the FB waits for an event, reads variables, and executes a function.
• After execution, the FB transmits events and updates variables to the next FB.
• Access to values via the OPC-UA server or 4DIAC-IDE occurs in real time.

The key advantage is complete asynchronicity and scalability due to multithreading.

OpenFB Plugin for Visual Studio Code

OpenFB Plugin adds an interactive IEC 61499 Function Block Diagram (FBD) editor to VS Code for ML projects in OpenFB, 4diac, and forgelogic formats.

Project on Gitflic