| Principle | Explanation | Example | |-----------|-------------|---------| | | Same system viewed from function, product, location | Pump motor: function = =P1 , product = -M1 , location = +TankA | | Object-oriented | Anything of interest is an "object" (hardware, software, function) | Motor, valve, control loop, software task | | Letter codes | Classes of objects using single letters | M = motor, K = relay, Q = breaker, T = transformer |
Understanding IEC 61346-1: The Foundation of Industrial Structuring and Reference Designations
Create a master table linking each reference designation to:
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If you only need the (not the official text), many engineering handbooks and control system design guides summarize IEC 81346-1 clearly – but for compliance, buy the standard.
Because Industry 4.0 isn't about adding more sensors. It's about understanding the relationships between the sensors you already have. And no document explains those relationships better than the old, withdrawn, brilliant IEC 61346-1.
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Many corporate engineering departments and university libraries maintain archived PDF copies of IEC 61346-1 for legacy plant maintenance.
The standard forces you to admit that -Q01 (the VFD) and --K01 (the contactor) are with a parent-child relationship. product = -M1
=A1 might represent a specific control function within a system. 2. The Product-Oriented Aspect (How the object is made)
When a fault occurs, the PLC sees an error on --K01 . The maintenance manual is indexed by -Q01 . The ERP system ordered -Q01 as a spare part. But --K01 is inside -Q01 .