Domain-specific modeling in industrial automation - challenges and experiences.

Domain-specific modeling promises to close the gap between an application domain and a solution domain. As such it enables domain experts to directly model an application by means of a domain-specific language and to fully generate a final software product from the models. The advantages of domain-specific modeling have been demonstrated from several industrial case studies in various domains. However, domain-specific modeling is rarely applied in industrial automation. We have designed and developed two DSM solutions in the domains of injection molding machines and robot welding in order to enable domain experts to directly program in both domains without detailed software development expertise. In this paper we present two DSM tools, discuss challenges and experiences during design and development of both tools and draw some general insights about adapting DSM for industrial automation.