James Christensen

A Short Biography

Jim Christensen, an internationally recognized expert in the standardization and application of advanced software technologies in automation and control, is the President of Holobloc, Inc, an Ohio corporation. The mission of Holobloc, Inc. is to provide software tools, consulting and training in the application of the IEC 61499 Standard for the next generation of industrial automation and control.

He was recognized for his achievements in pioneering applications of object-oriented programming in Smalltalk with the Rockwell International Engineer of the Year and Lynde Bradley Innovation Awards in 1991, and in 2007, he was awarded the IEC 1906 Award and membership in the Process Automation Hall of Fame in recognition of his accomplishments in international standardization of programming languages and architectures for industrial automation.

He received the degree of PhD in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1967.

Following a career of increasing responsibilities and accomplishments in both academic and industrial roles, Dr. Christensen retired from Rockwell Automation in April 2005. During his 23-year career at Rockwell Automation, he led the development of the IEC 61131-3 Standard for Programming Languages for Programmable Controllers, which has become the global standard for this segment of the automation and control market. He has also led the development of the IEC 61499 standard, the successor to IEC 61131-3 for the next generation of industrial automation and control. His Function Block Development Kit (FBDK) software is the first, internationally used IEC 61499-compliant software tool kit.

In addition to his work with the IEC, he has been in leading positions in the international Intelligent Manufacturing Systems (IMS) Program since its inception in 1990. He has served in both technical and management positions in the Holonic Manufacturing Systems (HMS) consortium, comprising major industrial and academic partners from Japan, Europe, Canada, Australia and the United States.

His experience prior to employment with Rockwell Automation includes 2½ years with the Electronic Controls Division of Texas Instruments in Johnson City Tennessee; 3 years of entrepreneurial experience with Strider Systems, Inc. in Norman, Oklahoma; 8 years on the faculty of the University of Oklahoma culminating in a tenured position as Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering; one year as a Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow at Thayer School of Engineering of Dartmouth College; and 2 years as a research assistant at the Solar Energy Laboratory of the University of Wisconsin.

He is the author of over 30 papers, book chapters, invited lectures and keynote addresses, and is a Member of ISA.

Publications

1. S.A.Sierla, J.H.Christensen, K.O.Koskinen, J.P.Peltola, "Educational Approaches for the Industrial Acceptance of IEC 61499," 12th IEEE Conference on Emerging Technologies and Factory Automation (ETFA 2007), Patras, Greece, Sept 25-28,2007.
2. J.P.Peltola, J.H.Christensen, S.A.Sierla, K.O.Koskinen, "A Migration Path to IEC 61499 for the Batch Process Industry," 5th IEEE International Conference on Industrial Informatics (INDIN 2007), Vienna, Austria, July 23-27, 2007.
3. C.Sünder, A.Zoitl, J.H.Christensen, M.Colla, T.Strasser, "Execution Models for the IEC 61499 elements Composite Function Block and Subapplication," 5th IEEE International Conference on Industrial Informatics (INDIN 2007), Vienna, Austria, July 23-27, 2007.
4. C.Sünder, A.Zoitl, J.H.Christensen, V.Vyatkin, R.W.Brennan, A.Valentini, L.Ferrarini, T.Strasser, J.L.Martinez-Lastra, F.Auinger, "Usability and interoperability of IEC 61499 based distributed automation systems," 4th International IEEE Conference on Industrial Informatics (INDIN’06), Singapore, August 2006.
5. F.Auinger, R.Brennan, J.H.Christensen, J.L.Martinez-Lastra, V.Vyatkin, "Requirements and solutions to software encapsulation and engineering in next generation manufacturing systems: OOONEIDA approach," International Journal of Computer Integrated Manufacturing 18, 7 (October – November 2005), 572–585.
6. J.H.Christensen et al., "General Purpose Control Devices," in M. Kutz (ed.), Mechanical Engineers' Handbook, Part 2: Systems, Controls and MEMS, Wiley, 2005.
7. IEC 61499 Summer Course and Industry Day, Technical University of Helsinki, June 2004(2005)(2006).
8. F.Auinger, T.Strasser, J.H.Christensen, "Using IEC 61499 Function Blocks (FBs) for Closed Loop Control Applications," International IMS Forum 2004, Villa Erba, Cernobbio, IT, 17-19 May 2004.
9. R.W.Brennan, J.H.Christensen, J.L.Martinez Lastra, A.Martell, V.Vyatkin, "OOONEIDA Community - a Prototype of an Open Object Oriented Knowledge Economy for Intelligent Industrial Automation," International IMS Forum 2004, Villa Erba, Cernobbio, IT, 17-19 May 2004.
10. "HMS/FB Architecture and its Implementation," in S.M. Deen (ed.), Agent-Based Manufacturing: Advances in the Holonic Approach. Berlin/Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag, 2003, pp. 53-87.
11. "IEC 61499 Architecture, Engineering Methodologies and Software Tools," in V.Marik, L.M. Camarinha-Matos, H. Afsarmanesh (eds.), Knowledge and Technology Integration in Production and Services. Boston/Dordrecht/London: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2002, pp. 221-236.
12. Programming Standards for Agile Manufacturing, Control Engineering, December 2000, p. 60.
13. M. Fletcher, E. Garcia-Herreros, J.H. Christensen, S.M. Deen, R. Mittmann, An Open Architecture for Holonic Cooperation and Autonomy, First International Workshop on Industrial Applications of Holonic and Multi-Agent Systems (HoloMAS'2000), Sept.8, 2000.
14. J.H.Christensen, Design patterns for systems engineering in IEC 61499, Verteilte Automatisierung - Modelle und Methoden für Entwurf, Verifikation, Engineering und Instrumentierung (VA2000), Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg, Germany, 22-23 March 2000, ISBN 3-929757-30-3, 63-71.
15. J.H.Christensen, Basic Concepts of IEC 61499, Verteilte Automatisierung - Modelle und Methoden für Entwurf, Verifikation, Engineering und Instrumentierung (VA2000), Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg, Germany, 22-23 March 2000, ISBN 3-929757-30-3, 55-62.
16. J.H.Christensen, "Fortifying PLCs," Motion Control 9, 5 (July-August 1999), ISA, RTP NC 27709 USA, 32-35.
17. J.H.Christensen, "The Future of IEC 61131-3," Industrial Computing 18, 4 (March 1999), ISA, RTP NC 27709 USA, 20-23.
18. J.H.Christensen, M.Thouati and O.J.Struger, "Les Systemes Holoniques," Terrain 7 (Jan-Mar 1996), CiMax, Nanterre, France, 26-31.
19. J.H.Christensen, Holonic Manufacturing Systems: Initial Architecture and Standards Directions, Proc 1st Euro Wkshp on Holonic Manufacturing Systems, HMS Consortium, Hannover, Germany, 1 December 1994.
20. J.H.Christensen, O.J.Struger, D.Norrie and C.Schaeffer, Material Handling Requirements for Holonic Manufacturing Systems, Proc 2nd Intl Conf on Matl Handling Res, Material Handling Industry of America, 1994.
21. J.H.Christensen, "The Application of International Standards to Intelligent Manufacturing Systems," IECON '91 Proceedings, IEEE, 1991, 67-70.
22. J.H.Christensen, O.J.Struger, et.al., "General Purpose Control Devices," in C.L.Nachtigal (ed.), Instrumentation and Control: Fundamentals and Applications, ISBN 0-471-88045-0, Wiley, 1990.
23. J.H.Christensen, "Graphic Programming Languages and Environments for Manufacturing Applications," Symposium on Manufacturing Application Languages, Winnipeg, June 1988.
24. J.H.Christensen, "Integrated Project Support Environment Requirements for the IEC Languages," IEEE Workshop on Languages for Automation, Vienna, August 1987.
25. J.H.Christensen and O.J.Struger, "Requirements for Control System Life-Cycle Management," ISA/86, Houston, October 1986.
26. J.H.Christensen and O.J.Struger, "Programmable Controller Software Architectures for Advanced Machine Diagnostics," 26th IEEE Machine Tools Conference, Milwaukee, October 1983.
27. J.H.Christensen, "Requirements Analysis for Industrial Control and Production Management Systems," Ninth Intl Purdue Workshop on Ind Comp Sys, Oct 1981.
28. L.S.Lee and J.H.Christensen, "Linear Approximation in Conjugate Gradient Methods for Process Optimization," J Chinese Inst Chem Engrs 8, 93-100 (1977).
29. C.Anazia, C.O.Lee, R.C.Jerner, ---, and J.H.Peavey, "Solution of Laue Back-Reflection Patterns of Sapphire Crystals Using a Computer Technique," Metall Trans A, 6A (Sept 1975), 1751-3.
30. C.J.Pellerin, J.H.Christensen, R.C.Jerner, and J.H.Peavey, "Quantitative Surface Profilimetry Applied to Sputter-Ion Bombarded Sapphire," J Vac Sci Technol 12, 1 (Jan/Feb 1975).
31. J.H.Christensen and H.B. Crichlow, "Data Acquisition and Telemetry in a Natural Gas Measurements Laboratory," AIChE 67th National Meeting, 1974.
32. J.H.Christensen (editor), Computer Programs for Chemical Engineering, Vol. VI: Stagewise Operations, National Academy of Engineering, 1973.
33. L.D.Clements, J.H.Christensen and K.E.Starling, "Nonlinear Programming in Equation of State Development," Proc Okla Acad Sci, 1971.
34. J.H.Christensen and S.F.Yang, "An Improved Algorithm for Chemical Process Optimization," Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference, Montreal, 1971.
35. N.F.Carnahan and J.H.Christensen, "An Efficient Algorithm for Pipeline Network Analysis," AIChE National Meeting, Houston, 1971.
36. W.H.Huang, R.J. Block, and J.H.Christensen, "A Computer Technique for the Solution of Laue Back Reflection Patterns of Cubic Crystals," Metall Trans 2 (May 1971), 1367-70
37. J.H.Christensen, "The Structuring of Process Optimization," AIChE J 16, 2(March 1970), 177-84.
38. J.H.Christensen and D.F.Rudd, "Structuring of Design Computations," AIChE J 15, 1(January 1969), 94-100.
39. W.Lee, J.H.Christensen and D.F.Rudd, "Design Variable Selection to Simplify Process Calculations," AIChE J 12, 6(November 1966), 1104-10.

Patents

• U.S. 3,951,644, "Producing Iron and Steel from Iron Ore"
• European Patent Application No. 07012540.6-1238, "Automation HMI visualization utilizing GUI function blocks," 26.06.07 (named inventor with O.Hummer-Koppendorfer, F.Auinger, A.Zoitl, T.I.Strasser, and K.H.Hall).
• European Patent Application No. 07012541.4-2224, "HMI framework for extensible automation system engineering platforms," 26.06.07 (named inventor with J.Gottwald, F.Auinger, A.Zoitl, T.I.Strasser, I.Terzic and K.H.Hall).