Patent ID: 8676354

Claim:
An apparatus comprising a production line having a plurality of automated machines, transport modules connected between said automated machines for enabling a product to pass from one of said automated machine to another of said automated machines, and an automation system for controlling said automated machines, said automation system comprising a framework-based controller for controlling basic functions of said automated machines, each of said automated machines corresponding to an object that is virtualized in said framework-based controller by an object-specific functional unit assigned to said object, said object-specific functional unit further comprising a simulation module having a simulation function, and an object-specific control function for actuating basic functions of an object to which said object-specific functional unit is assigned, said object-specific functional unit being configured to selectively execute one of said simulation function and said object-specific control function, said framework based controller having a structure reflecting a structure of said automated machines, wherein said framework-based controller is designed independently of the objects, wherein said framework-based controller comprises standardized interfaces for communication technology-based incorporation of the object-specific functional units by means of preconfigured functional calls, wherein each object from the number of objects is virtualized in the controller by means of the associated object-specific functional unit and wherein, during an operating state of the automation system, said objects are accessed and controlled exclusively by said framework-based controller using said object-specific functional units.