Skip to main content

Automated Test Case Generation for Industrial Control Applications

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Recent Advances in Robotics and Automation

Part of the book series: Studies in Computational Intelligence ((SCI,volume 480))

Abstract

The need for increasing flexibility of industrial automation system products leads to the trend of shifting functional behavior from hardware solutions to software components. This trend causes an increasing complexity of software components and the need for comprehensive and automated testing approaches to ensure a required (high) quality level. Nevertheless, key tasks in software testing include identifying appropriate test cases that typically require a high effort for (a) test case generation/construction and (b) test case modification in case of requirements changes. Semi-automated derivation of test cases based on models, like UML, can support test case generation. In this paper we introduce an automated test case generation approach for industrial automation applications where the test cases are specified by UML state chart diagrams. In addition we present a prototype application of the presented approach for a sorting machine. Major results showed that state charts (a) support efficient test case generation and (b) enable automated generation of test cases and code for industrial automation systems.

Based on “Test Case Generation Approach for Industrial Automation Systems”, by Reinhard Hametner, Benjamin Kormann, Birgit Vogel-Heuser, Dietmar Winkler, and Alois Zoitl which appeared in the Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Automation, Robotics and Applications (ICARA 2011). © 2011 IEEE.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. I. Sommerville, Software Engineering, 9th edn. (Addison-Wesley, Reading, 2010)

    Google Scholar 

  2. T. Linz, H. Schäfer, A. Spillner, Software Testing Foundations: A Study Guide for the Certified Tester Exam, 3rd edn. (Rocky Nook, 2011), 284p, ISBN-10: 1933952784, ISBN-13: 978-1933952789

    Google Scholar 

  3. R. Hametner, D. Winkler, T. Östreicher, S. Biffl, A. Zoitl, The Adaptation of Test-Driven Software Processes to Industrial Automation Engineering. in 8th IEEE International Conference on Industrial Informatics (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  4. G. Booch, J. Rumbaugh, I. Jacobson, The Unified Modeling Language Reference Manual (Addison-Wesley, Reading, 1999)

    Google Scholar 

  5. M. Broy, B. Jonsson, J.-P. Katoen, M. Leucker, A. Pretschner, Model-Based Testing of Reactive Systems (Springer, Berlin, 2005)

    Book  MATH  Google Scholar 

  6. K. Thramboulidis, G. Frey, Towards a model-driven IEC 61131 based development process in industrial automation. J. Softw. Eng. Appl. 84, 217–226 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. M. Utting, B. Legeard, Practical Model-based Testing (Morgan Kaufmann, Los Altos, 2007)

    Google Scholar 

  8. P. Chevalley, P. Thevenod-Fosse, Automated Generation of Statistical Test Cases from UML State Diagrams. in Computer Software and Applications Conference. COMPSAC. 25th Annual International (2001), (pp. 205–214)

    Google Scholar 

  9. R. Hametner, D. Winkler, T. Östreicher, N. Surnic, S. Biffl, Selecting UML Models for Test-Driven Development along the Automation Systems Engineering Process. in IEEE International Conference on Emerging Technologies and Factory Automation (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  10. C. Seidner, O. Roux, Formal methods for systems engineering behavior models. Ind. Inf. IEEE Trans. 4(4), 280–291 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. S. Panjaitan, G. Frey, Combination of UML Modeling and the IEC 61499 Function Block Concept for the Development of Distributed Automation Systems. in Emerging Technologies and Factory Automation. IEEE Conference on (2006), pp. 766–773

    Google Scholar 

  12. T. Hussain, G. Frey, UML-based Development Process for IEC 61499 with Automatic Test-case Generation. in Emerging Technologies and Factory Automation. ETFA’06. IEEE Conference on (2006), pp. 1277–1284

    Google Scholar 

  13. W. Zhang, W. Halang, C. Diedrich, Specification of function block applications with uml. in Robotics and Automation. ICRA. Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on (2005), pp. 4002–4007

    Google Scholar 

  14. A. Petrenko, N. Yevtushenko, Testing from partial deterministic fsm specifications. IEEE Trans. Comput. 54, 1154–1165 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. T. Chow, Testing software design modeled by finite-state machines. Trans. Softw. Eng. SE-4(3), 178–187 (1978)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. R. Binder, Testing Object-Oriented Systems: Models, Patterns, and Tools (Addison-Wesley, Reading, 2000)

    Google Scholar 

  17. C. Meinel, C. Stangier, Modular Partitioning and Dynamic Conjunction Scheduling in Image Computation. in Proceedings of the 2002 IEEE/ACM International Workshop on Logic and Synthesis (IWLS02), New Orleans, USA. Citeseer, (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  18. D. Winkler, R. Hametner, S. Biffl, Automation Component Aspects of Efficient Unit Testing. IEEE, ETFA, Mallorca, Spain, September (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  19. T. Moser, G. Dürr, and S. Biffl, Ontology-Based Test Case Generation for Simulating Complex Production Automation Systems. in Proceedings of the 22nd International Conference on Software Engineering and Knowledge Engineering (SEKE’2010), Redwood City, San Francisco Bay

    Google Scholar 

  20. IEC 61131-3, IEC 61131-3 Standard—Programmable controllers—Part 3: Programming Languages, 2nd edn. International Electrical Commission (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  21. IEC 61499-1, Function blocks—Part 1: Architecture. Geneva: International Electrical Commission (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  22. I. Hegny, M. Wenger, A. Zoitl, IEC 61499 based Simulation Frame-work for Model-Driven Production Systems Development. in IEEE Conference on Emerging Technologies and Factory Automation (ETFA), (2010), pp. 1–8

    Google Scholar 

  23. PLCopen Technical Committee 6, XML Formats for IEC 61131-3, Version 2.01—Official Release, PLCopen, Technical Report, May 2009

    Google Scholar 

  24. A. Zoitl, T. Strasser, A. Valentini, Open source initiatives as basis for the establishment of new technologies in industrial automation: 4DIAC a case study. in IEEE International

    Google Scholar 

  25. R. Lewis, Modeling Control Systems Using IEC 61499—Applying Function Blocks to Distributed Systems (The Institution of Electrical Engineers, London, 2001), 208p, ISBN-10: 0852967969, ISBN-13: 978-0852967966

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Reinhard Hametner .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Hametner, R., Kormann, B., Vogel-Heuser, B., Winkler, D., Zoitl, A. (2013). Automated Test Case Generation for Industrial Control Applications. In: Sen Gupta, G., Bailey, D., Demidenko, S., Carnegie, D. (eds) Recent Advances in Robotics and Automation. Studies in Computational Intelligence, vol 480. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-37387-9_20

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-37387-9_20

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-37386-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-37387-9

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics