This practical monograph gives a comprehensive introduction to the concepts and languages of the IEC 61131 standard used to program industrial control systems. The second edition of this established reference covers the latest developments of the IEC 61131 standard. The text and the numerous examples have been extensively updated and present the state of the art of program¬ming industrial automation systems. A summary of the special requirements in programming industrial automation systems and the corresponding features in the IEC 61131-3 standard makes the book suitable for students as well as PLC experts. The material is presented in an easy-to-understand form using numerous examples, illustrations and summary tables. The book also includes a purchaser's guide. Karl-Heinz John Degree in Com¬puter Science 1981, degree thesis on microprogramming. Since 1984 at infoteam Software GmbH, co-owner and chief executive officer (CEO), his areas of responsibility include the development of IEC 61131 programming systems, such as OpenPCS. He is also a founder member of PLCopen (www.plcopen.org) and vice-president of ASQF (www.asqf.de). Michael Tiegelkamp Degree in Computer Science 1988, degree thesis on PLC architectures. From 1988 to 1994 at infoteam Software GmbH, project manager and head of marketing, responsible for PLC programming systems. Since 1994 at SIEMENS AG, pro¬ject manager for development and later group manager for product definition in the field of SIMATIC, since 2004 various manager positions in the field of low-voltage energy distribution.