The present invention relates to a system and methodology facilitating
material class processing and quality controls in an industrial
controller environment. One or more classes are provided that generically
describe materials or components of a recipe. The classes are associated
with the recipe and resolved or determined before or during runtime of
automated processes producing the recipe. If a class designation is
encountered during recipe execution, an operator can be queried for which
material or materials from the detected class is desired for the recipe
currently being produced. After a material is selected from the class,
the recipe is then processed according to the selected material from the
respective class. In another aspect, automatic selections can be made to
resolve members of class-based recipes. In yet another aspect of the
present invention, quality phase processes and procedures are associated
with a recipe and can be automatically initiated during various phases or
stages of recipe production. Such processes include quality tests,
quality recording/documentation, corrective actions, maintenance
procedures, serving embedded files or documentation, initiating training
procedures, and/or providing other automated procedures.