SOA middleware and automation: Services, applications and architectures

The factory automation community is looking toward the devices profile for Web services (DPWS) set of Web service standards to provide a service orientated architecture (SOA) enablement of factory elements. This paper examines the issues surrounding the application and future development of DPWS on production line machines and their integration with distributed enterprise applications. Issues raised reflect the need for more development on defining a generic approach to Web Service architecture in automation and the ontologies that support it. The concept of an automation lifecycle is introduced to aid this development from a more holistic perspective.