ControlBuild Application Generator is a global solution dedicated to software engineers. ControlBuild covers the different stages of the control software development for an industrial system:

System design Integration tests Software design Factory Acceptance Tests Automatic PLC code generation Production & maintenance Unitary tests Training

Most of the time different software tools are required at each development stage. The ControlBuild CASE tool is the first product, on today's market, which allows a global approach to application development covering the "Needs & Requirements" through to "Production & Update". In other words, integrated software like ControlBuild enables the passage from one development stage to the next without the need to recapture data. This proffers many advantages such as catching mistakes, time gain and homogenous and coherent databases.

ControlBuild vs Standard Application Development Environments

ControlBuild Modules and Fonctionalities
ControlBuild is a CASE tool that has a large quantity of modules and functionalities. Each module is dedicated to specific tasks. This tool set is perfectly homogenous and well linked suite.

ControlBuild Application Generator enables project management, applications, libraries and users access rights.

Its editors allow the description of components, functions and equipment using the IEC 61131-3 languages (SFC, LD, FBD & ST) or C and Electrical Schematic type languages.
ControlBuild also allows the simulation of the control functions (PLC execution) and the simulation of the hardware configuration (Factory Environment).
A well structured set of libraries is available and makes it easy for programmers in terms of program structure and time saving (Tool boxes, Filters, Equipments with Electro-mechanical behavior, object with movement and detection rules…).
A documentation generator with customization (logo, document models…) is also available to produce the different levels of documentation for each project.
Synoptic, Alarm Manager, Scenarios and Historic Event Editors provide the ability for MMI definition or prototyping, graphical views, consoles, tests scripts and diagnostics functions.
ControlBuild allows hardware configuration customizing, application distribution on several targets, application I /O of the application definition or assignment to physical I /Os, serial links and fielding networks of the hardware architecture and then code generation for the dedicated targets. Targeted application monitoring is also available with on-line communication and download modules.
I/O communication modules (I/O cards 3964R, Modbus+, Profibus DP, Can, World FIP, TCP/IP, OPC...) are available to connect the simulator to the targets for integration tests and factory acceptance.

The aim of ControlBuild Application Generator is to provide a global solution covering the software development cycle, and, at a higher level, the development and operation of the automated system

Design: in order to validate the functional specifications, users can develop or reuse models (using IEC1131-3 languages) corresponding to each system function. After integration of the models, a prototype of the system (control software and physical plan) can be validated through simulations.
Coding: to avoid having to recapture low-level code after the higher level model Design Step validation; ControlBuild automatically generates target codes that can be loaded into embedded hardware or industrial PCs. Several code generators are available to support micro-controller embedded C code.
Tests: prior to physical installation of the control software on the plant, ControlBuild enables code testing & verification on the real targets connected with a model of the plan.
Production: ControlBuild is dedicated to the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) on completion of the test steps. All the acceptance test procedures can be executed.
Exploitation: Because the life cycle of the system does not stop at the production stage, ControlBuild also allows direct monitoring for the maintenance services. With the ControlBuild Monitoring Tool directly connected to the equipment, the maintenance people can access all project variables and benefit from animated graphical languages (SFC, LD & FBD).

	Code Generators
	Optional code generators are available to support the Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) from major constructors such as:
	Siemens 300 and 400 (see Option ControlBuild Step 7)
	Schneider TSX Micro and Premium (see Option ControlBuild PL7-PRO)
	Specific code generators can also be developed for proprietary targets by the ControlBuild Team or by the customer himself (see ControlBuild Target Toolkit).