Introduction

TE8400 TwinCAT 3 MTP Engineering is a component for creating, editing, validating, and exporting MTP (Module Type Package) files.
It helps companies efficiently develop modular units–also known as process equipment assemblies (PEA)–in accordance with the MTP standard. These can then be integrated into higher-level automation and control systems.

MTP Engineering allows you to create new PEAs or import and edit existing MTP files. Based on the MTP project, the artifacts required for further use–such as PLC code or HMI screens–can be generated within the TwinCAT environment.

The purpose of this documentation is to make it easier to get started with MTP Engineering and, at the same time, to serve as a reference for day-to-day project work. To this end, the product’s functionality, basic concepts, typical workflows, and generation and export functions are described.

Definitions

MTP stands forModule Type Package and is a standard for describing process technology modules in modular plants.
This standard was developed by NAMUR (Association for Automation Technology in the Process Industry) to simplify and standardize the integration of individual plant modules into higher-level process control systems. Plant modules created according to the MTP standard are called PEA. Control systems capable of integrating PEAs are called Process Orchestration Layer (POL).

Among other things, an MTP file describes:

• the services provided by a module,
• the operating and monitoring capabilities, 
• the process values and parameters, 
• alarms and messages, 
• the HMI for integration into a process orchestration layer (POL)

This describes a module’s functionality, operation, and interfaces in a standardized format. This reduces the engineering effort required for integration, improves the reusability of modules, and supports flexible plant designs in the process industry.