GRAFCET and SFC as Factory Automation Standards Advantages and Limitations

Two proposed programming standards for industrial automation, GRAFCET and SFC, are presented. The idea of what makes a `good' programming language is discussed, and the concept of a graphic programming language is introduced. The advantages and limitations of GRAFCET and SFC are presented. This paper concludes with a discussion of the need for further research for more general graphic programming languages for industrial automation.