A computer-readable storage device (692; 704) comprising executable instructions, that when executed by a processor (680; 702), facilitate object-based industrial automation control, the computer-readable medium including instructions executable by the processor for: maintaining an automation control library (108; 316) comprised of a plurality of objects, wherein each object has a physical counterpart with a use type associated with it for use in an industrial automation process, the use type comprising a class type, the class types comprising hardware types in industrial automation processes or combinations of product types and/or product skids, and wherein each object comprises a binding layer for binding the object to one or more industrial controllers (322, 324, 326) of an industrial automation process project; receiving, from an automated control device programming environment, base code defining the execution of an industrial automation control process by including instructions for the execution of one or more operations by the hardware components of the industrial automation process, wherein the base code includes generic placeholders for one or more automation objects; identifying a plurality of objects in the object library for implementing the industrial automation control process, wherein identifying the plurality of objects includes receiving a user selection of a plurality of objects that correspond to the user's current hardware for implementing the automated process; binding the selected objects to the base code, wherein binding comprises replacing the placeholders with the selected objects; and matching the bound objects to one or more industrial controllers (322, 324, 326) for execution of the base code that has been bound to the objects, wherein operations associated with an object that has been bound to the base code are deployed to industrial controllers, and/or to I/O resources on an industrial controller, as dictated by that object. maintaining an automation control library (108; 316) comprised of a plurality of objects, wherein each object has a physical counterpart with a use type associated with it for use in an industrial automation process, the use type comprising a class type, the class types comprising hardware types in industrial automation processes or combinations of product types and/or product skids, and wherein each object comprises a binding layer for binding the object to one or more industrial controllers (322, 324, 326) of an industrial automation process project; receiving, from an automated control device programming environment, base code defining the execution of an industrial automation control process by including instructions for the execution of one or more operations by the hardware components of the industrial automation process, wherein the base code includes generic placeholders for one or more automation objects; identifying a plurality of objects in the object library for implementing the industrial automation control process, wherein identifying the plurality of objects includes receiving a user selection of a plurality of objects that correspond to the user's current hardware for implementing the automated process; binding the selected objects to the base code, wherein binding comprises replacing the placeholders with the selected objects; and matching the bound objects to one or more industrial controllers (322, 324, 326) for execution of the base code that has been bound to the objects, wherein operations associated with an object that has been bound to the base code are deployed to industrial controllers, and/or to I/O resources on an industrial controller, as dictated by that object.