This book gives a comprehensive overview over the state-of-the-art in Collaborative Process Automation Systems (CPAS) including engineering, security, open standards, enterprise connectivity and plant asset management. The ABB System 800xA exemplifies this new type of systems. The authors explain the system architecture and infrastructure required for a CPAS, as well as important open standards like OPC, ISA-95 and XML. They focus on the differences between CPAS and traditional automation systems, namely common architecture, information handling, data storage, standards for integration and collaboration, esp. ISA-95. Implications on modern automation systems are outlined in theory and practice.

The authors address industrial engineers as well as graduate students in control and automation.