TF8401 | TwinCAT 3 MTP Engineering

An MTP (Module Type Package) is a communication interface between a higher-level control system (e.g. process control system) and a modular plant. The MTP describes the interface of visualization, provided services and other features of a module, so that a simple orchestration of the modules to form a complete plant can be done easily and quickly in the higher-level control system.

The MTP concept is integrated in TwinCAT as a software solution by the TwinCAT MTP Runtime TF8400 and TwinCAT MTP Engineering TF8401 products. In this way, communication between the higher-level control system (POL) and the individual modules of a complex plant can be described.

The features and services that a software-based plant module should have and the dependencies between the defined services are defined in TwinCAT MTP Engineering TF8401. There is a high degree of individualization for ideal adaptation to the processes on site.

Through a separate project type, the MTP-specific project planning, such as the creation of services or parameters, is possible in a separate MTP folder. Through the common project folder, TwinCAT Engineering offers the possibility to create, modify and manage the MTP as well as the source code of the PLC in one environment. The connection of TwinCAT Engineering to version control enables consistent and sustainable storage of a project, including PLC source code, MTP description and other program sources.

An executable beta version can be obtained from processindustry@beckhoff.com.