IEC 62714-1:2018

Overview

IEC 62714-1:2018 - "Engineering data exchange format for use in industrial automation systems engineering - Automation Markup Language (AML) - Part 1: Architecture and general requirements" defines the architecture and core requirements for exchanging engineering data in heterogeneous industrial-automation toolchains. AML is an XML schema–based data format intended to interconnect engineering disciplines (mechanical, electrical, process, control, HMI, PLC, robot programming, etc.) so that models, topology, interfaces and references can be exchanged reliably between tools. Edition 2.0 (2018) replaces the 2014 edition and introduces a technical revision aligned with CAEX 3.0 (IEC 62424:2016) and new AML libraries and container features.

Key Topics and Requirements

• AML architecture and meta-information: Defines document structure, versions, source-tool metadata and object identification to ensure consistent exchange and traceability.
• CAEX 3.0 integration: Uses CAEX 3.0 (per IEC 62424:2016) as the foundational information model for automation objects.
• Relations and referencing: Specification of parent–child, class–instance and instance–instance relations; explicit rules for referencing external documents (e.g., COLLADA, PLCopen XML) and items outside IEC 62714 scope.
• Base libraries: Standardized role, interface and attribute type libraries (including a new AML attribute library) to reduce ambiguity when different tools map engineering semantics.
• Ports, connectors and interfaces: Revised Port concept and interface class modeling for physical/communication connection points.
• Multilingual and structured data support: Modelling of multilingual expressions and structured attribute lists/arrays to support international projects and complex attribute sets.
• AML Container: A new container format for packaging AML documents and associated artefacts.
• Extensibility: Rules for user-defined attributes, classes and instance hierarchies to support project-specific extensions while maintaining interoperability.

Practical Applications & Who Uses It

• System integrators and engineering consultancies: Exchange plant topology, device data and configurations between CAD, electrical design, PLC programming and simulation tools.
• Tool vendors: Implement AML import/export to enable customers to share models across disciplines and reduce manual re-entry.
• Plant engineers and OEMs: Consolidate multi-disciplinary engineering data (mechanical layouts, control logic references, HMI mappings) for commissioning and maintenance.
• Robotics and machine builders: Share geometry/kinematics (via COLLADA) and control artifacts (via PLCopen XML) linked through AML.
• Asset and lifecycle managers: Maintain traceable, versioned engineering information across the lifecycle.

Keywords: Automation Markup Language, AML, IEC 62714-1:2018, CAEX 3.0, engineering data exchange, XML schema, industrial automation, tool interoperability, AML container, multilingual expressions.

Related Standards

• IEC 62714 series (Automation Markup Language) - other parts for specific profiles and use cases
• IEC 62424:2016 (CAEX 3.0) - CAEX integration and foundations
• Documented interoperability with formats such as PLCopen XML and COLLADA (referenced for logic and geometry exchange)