An MTP includes the following information:
- Description of the data objects
- Description of the control image
- In future versions: description of services, etc.
This description file can be read in and processed by higher-level systems, such as visualization or process control systems, called the “Process Orchestration Layer” (POL) below. In terms of its basic purpose and function, MTP is very comparable to a printer driver, which also serves to connect subsystems − in this case, a printer from any manufacturer – to a central computer. Connect it, switch it on, print – or, in the jargon of factory automation and process technology, “plug and produce.”