MTP goes Industry:

Seamless Engineering with P&ID2MTP

On September 29, 2026, the “MTP goes Industry” event took place at Merck KGaA’s headquarters in Darmstadt. Organized by PROFIBUS & PROFINET International (PI), the event was aimed at plant operators, PEA manufacturers, technology providers, and system integrators to discuss the industrial application of the Module Type Package (MTP) standard. X-Visual was on site as a sponsor and participated in the Microfair as well as the workshop program.

X-Visual Workshop: P&ID2MTP

During the workshop, our Managing Director, Wolfgang Welscher, presented the new P&ID2MTP feature. This tool is an integrated Platinum feature of our P&ID software, PlantEngineer. It aims to bridge the gap between process engineering and automation by defining the MTP interfaces directly in the R&I flow diagram (P&ID) during the design phase.

Previously, MTP files were primarily created by the automation engineer. With P&ID2MTP, this step is performed in accordance with the VDI/VDE/NAMUR 2658 standard during the process planning phase. The following information is stored directly in the P&ID:

  • Services & Parameters: The required process functions and their operating parameters are stored directly on the process modules (PEAs).
  • HMI Interfaces: The visual representation and visibility of components for the subsequent operator interface (Process Orchestration Layer, POL) are defined in the process flow diagram.
  • Communication Parameters: Sensors, actuators, and drives are enriched with the necessary information for data exchange between the module controller and the control system.

The generated MTP thus already contains services, HMI, and communication parameters and is seamlessly integrated into the programming and the POL.

Sold-Out Event Highlights MTP’s Relevance

Beyond these technical solutions from the workshops, the rest of the day’s program—featuring keynotes, panel discussions, and lab tours—provided ample opportunity to exchange experiences regarding the challenges in the MTP workflow. The fact that the event was completely sold out clearly underscores how important and relevant the topic of MTP is for the industry today. We would like to thank the Merck Group for hosting the event, PI for organizing it, and all participants and co-exhibitors for the professional exchange in Darmstadt.