{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7131417432","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tse.2026.3667895","title":"Agents4PLC: Automating Closed-Loop PLC Code Generation and Verification in Industrial Control Systems Using LLM-Based Agents","display_name":"Agents4PLC: Automating Closed-Loop PLC Code Generation and Verification in Industrial Control Systems Using LLM-Based Agents","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-02-25","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7131417432","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tse.2026.3667895"},"language":null,"primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1109/tse.2026.3667895","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tse.2026.3667895","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S8351582","display_name":"IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering","issn_l":"0098-5589","issn":["0098-5589","1939-3520","2326-3881"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320439","host_organization_name":"IEEE Computer Society","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320439","https://openalex.org/P4310319808"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["IEEE Computer Society","Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering","raw_type":"journal-article"},"type":"article","indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":false,"oa_status":"closed","oa_url":null,"any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5100623099","display_name":"Zihan Liu","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7147-7218"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I76130692","display_name":"Zhejiang University","ror":"https://ror.org/00a2xv884","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I76130692"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Zihan Liu","raw_affiliation_strings":["Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0006-7977-8668","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I76130692"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":null,"display_name":"Ruinan Zeng","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0007-3994-3291"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I76130692","display_name":"Zhejiang University","ror":"https://ror.org/00a2xv884","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I76130692"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Ruinan Zeng","raw_affiliation_strings":["Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0007-3994-3291","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I76130692"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5037566066","display_name":"Dongxia Wang","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9812-3911"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I76130692","display_name":"Zhejiang University","ror":"https://ror.org/00a2xv884","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I76130692"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Dongxia Wang","raw_affiliation_strings":["Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9812-3911","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I76130692"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5126809846","display_name":"Gengyun Peng","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I76130692","display_name":"Zhejiang University","ror":"https://ror.org/00a2xv884","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I76130692"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Gengyun Peng","raw_affiliation_strings":["Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9495-387X","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I76130692"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":null,"display_name":"Xiaoxia Liu","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6662-9020"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I76130692","display_name":"Zhejiang University","ror":"https://ror.org/00a2xv884","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I76130692"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Xiaoxia Liu","raw_affiliation_strings":["Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6662-9020","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I76130692"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5126801217","display_name":"Qiang Liu","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I76130692","display_name":"Zhejiang University","ror":"https://ror.org/00a2xv884","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I76130692"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Qiang Liu","raw_affiliation_strings":["Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1311-0886","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I76130692"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5124057495","display_name":"Peiyu Liu","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I76130692","display_name":"Zhejiang University","ror":"https://ror.org/00a2xv884","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I76130692"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Peiyu Liu","raw_affiliation_strings":["Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7793-7633","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I76130692"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5126839159","display_name":"Wenhai Wang","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I1328775524","display_name":"Zhejiang Sci-Tech University","ror":"https://ror.org/03893we55","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I1328775524"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Wenhai Wang","raw_affiliation_strings":["UWin Tech, Hangzhou, China"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3707-6546","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"UWin Tech, Hangzhou, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I1328775524"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5126812848","display_name":"Jingyi Wang","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I76130692","display_name":"Zhejiang University","ror":"https://ror.org/00a2xv884","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I76130692"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Jingyi Wang","raw_affiliation_strings":["Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7113-7635","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I76130692"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":1,"institutions_distinct_count":2,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":18.0272,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":3,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.98822049,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":true},"cited_by_percentile_year":{"min":91,"max":98},"biblio":{"volume":"52","issue":"5","first_page":"1672","last_page":"1687"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11125","display_name":"Petri Nets in System Modeling","score":0.1746000051498413,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1703","display_name":"Computational Theory and Mathematics"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11125","display_name":"Petri Nets in System Modeling","score":0.1746000051498413,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1703","display_name":"Computational Theory and Mathematics"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10456","display_name":"Multi-Agent Systems and Negotiation","score":0.10429999977350235,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T13344","display_name":"Industrial Automation and Control Systems","score":0.09279999881982803,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2207","display_name":"Control and Systems Engineering"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/22","display_name":"Engineering"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/code-generation","display_name":"Code generation","score":0.7358999848365784},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/programmable-logic-controller","display_name":"Programmable logic controller","score":0.6215999722480774},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/correctness","display_name":"Correctness","score":0.6212000250816345},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/debugging","display_name":"Debugging","score":0.5975000262260437},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/benchmark","display_name":"Benchmark (surveying)","score":0.5928000211715698},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/workflow","display_name":"Workflow","score":0.4927000105381012},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/code","display_name":"Code (set theory)","score":0.45649999380111694},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/formal-verification","display_name":"Formal verification","score":0.42640000581741333},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/set","display_name":"Set (abstract data type)","score":0.3822000026702881},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/source-code","display_name":"Source code","score":0.3682999908924103}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.852400004863739},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C133162039","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1061077","display_name":"Code generation","level":3,"score":0.7358999848365784},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C37374048","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188674","display_name":"Programmable logic controller","level":2,"score":0.6215999722480774},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C55439883","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q360812","display_name":"Correctness","level":2,"score":0.6212000250816345},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C168065819","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q845566","display_name":"Debugging","level":2,"score":0.5975000262260437},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C185798385","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1161707","display_name":"Benchmark (surveying)","level":2,"score":0.5928000211715698},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C199360897","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9143","display_name":"Programming language","level":1,"score":0.4952999949455261},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C177212765","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q627335","display_name":"Workflow","level":2,"score":0.4927000105381012},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C115903868","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q80993","display_name":"Software engineering","level":1,"score":0.4860999882221222},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776760102","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5139990","display_name":"Code (set theory)","level":3,"score":0.45649999380111694},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C111498074","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q173326","display_name":"Formal verification","level":2,"score":0.42640000581741333},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C177264268","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1514741","display_name":"Set (abstract data type)","level":2,"score":0.3822000026702881},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C43126263","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q128751","display_name":"Source code","level":2,"score":0.3682999908924103},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C75606506","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1049183","display_name":"Formal methods","level":2,"score":0.3490999937057495},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C149635348","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q193040","display_name":"Embedded system","level":1,"score":0.31949999928474426},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C90831280","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1466038","display_name":"Simatic S5 PLC","level":3,"score":0.31869998574256897},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C128838566","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q275603","display_name":"Logic programming","level":2,"score":0.3102000057697296},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C44986683","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1411875","display_name":"Ladder logic","level":3,"score":0.3082999885082245},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C40071531","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2513962","display_name":"Industrial control system","level":3,"score":0.2955999970436096},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C203479927","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5165939","display_name":"Controller (irrigation)","level":2,"score":0.2888000011444092},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778763806","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4826572","display_name":"Automatic Generation Control","level":4,"score":0.28110000491142273},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C182620335","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2852531","display_name":"Answer set programming","level":3,"score":0.27970001101493835},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C115901376","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q184199","display_name":"Automation","level":2,"score":0.274399995803833},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C116253237","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1437424","display_name":"Formal specification","level":2,"score":0.273499995470047},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C17500928","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q959968","display_name":"Control system","level":2,"score":0.27300000190734863},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C53942775","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1211721","display_name":"Code coverage","level":3,"score":0.2696000039577484},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C195344581","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2555318","display_name":"Automated reasoning","level":2,"score":0.2662000060081482},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C98183937","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2112188","display_name":"Program analysis","level":2,"score":0.2639999985694885},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2775924081","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q55608371","display_name":"Control (management)","level":2,"score":0.26159998774528503},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777904410","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7397","display_name":"Software","level":2,"score":0.25369998812675476},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C195672273","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6888132","display_name":"Model-based design","level":2,"score":0.25200000405311584}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1109/tse.2026.3667895","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tse.2026.3667895","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S8351582","display_name":"IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering","issn_l":"0098-5589","issn":["0098-5589","1939-3520","2326-3881"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320439","host_organization_name":"IEEE Computer Society","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320439","https://openalex.org/P4310319808"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["IEEE Computer Society","Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering","raw_type":"journal-article"}],"best_oa_location":null,"sustainable_development_goals":[{"id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/9","display_name":"Industry, innovation and infrastructure","score":0.47772857546806335}],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"In":[0],"industrial":[1,241],"control":[2,242],"systems,":[3],"the":[4,116,201,209,232,245],"generation":[5,74,160,238],"and":[6,20,41,53,80,134,138,166,190,244],"verification":[7,79,249],"of":[8,92,119,129,153,203,224,234,247],"Programmable":[9],"Logic":[10],"Controller":[11],"(PLC)":[12],"code":[13,32,73,97,124,159,237,253],"are":[14,194],"crucial":[15],"for":[16,44,115,157],"ensuring":[17],"operational":[18,95],"efficiency":[19],"safety.":[21],"While":[22],"Large":[23],"Language":[24],"Models":[25],"(LLMs)":[26],"have":[27],"made":[28],"strides":[29],"in":[30,37,239,250],"automated":[31],"generation,":[33],"they":[34],"fall":[35],"short":[36],"providing":[38],"correctness":[39],"guarantees":[40],"specialized":[42],"support":[43],"PLC":[45,72,96,123,141,171],"programming":[46,51],"(which":[47],"has":[48],"its":[49],"own":[50],"language":[52,131],"clear":[54],"logical":[55],"structures).":[56],"To":[57,102],"address":[58],"these":[59,204],"challenges,":[60],"this":[61],"paper":[62],"introduces":[63,77],"Agents4PLC,":[64],"a":[65,110,147,151,222],"novel":[66],"framework":[67],"that":[68,212],"not":[69],"only":[70],"automates":[71],"but":[75],"also":[76,177],"code-level":[78,248],"repair":[81],"built":[82],"upon":[83],"an":[84],"LLM-based":[85],"multi-agent":[86,148],"system,":[87],"which":[88,126,193],"together":[89],"is":[90],"capable":[91],"directly":[93],"producing":[94],"without":[98],"any":[99],"human":[100],"interaction.":[101],"comprehensively":[103],"evaluate":[104],"our":[105],"framework,":[106],"we":[107,144,176],"first":[108],"establish":[109],"new":[111],"benchmark":[112,210],"specially":[113],"designed":[114,146],"critical":[117],"area":[118],"<italic":[120],"xmlns:mml=\"http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML\"":[121],"xmlns:xlink=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink\">verifiable":[122],"generation</i>,":[125],"includes":[127],"hundreds":[128],"natural":[130],"requirements,":[132],"human-written":[133],"verified":[135],"formal":[136,255],"specifications,":[137],"finally":[139],"reference":[140],"code.":[142,172],"Then,":[143],"carefully":[145],"workflow":[149],"combining":[150],"set":[152],"expert":[154,205],"agents":[155],"responsible":[156],"different":[158],"tasks":[161],"including":[162],"planning,":[163],"coding,":[164],"validation":[165],"debugging":[167],"towards":[168],"generating":[169,251],"correct":[170,252],"For":[173],"each":[174],"agent,":[175],"incorporate":[178],"optimization":[179],"strategies":[180,192],"such":[181],"as":[182],"Retrieval-Augmented":[183],"Generation":[184],"(RAG),":[185],"advanced":[186],"prompt":[187],"engineering":[188],"techniques,":[189],"Chain-of-Thought":[191],"shown":[195],"to":[196,199],"be":[197],"effective":[198],"enhance":[200],"ability":[202],"\u2018agents\u2019.":[206],"Evaluation":[207],"against":[208],"demonstrates":[211],"Agents4PLC":[213],"significantly":[214],"outperforms":[215],"existing":[216],"methods,":[217],"achieving":[218],"superior":[219],"results":[220],"across":[221],"series":[223],"increasingly":[225],"rigorous":[226],"evaluation":[227],"metrics.":[228],"This":[229],"research":[230],"highlights":[231],"potential":[233],"LLM":[235],"agent-based":[236],"real-world":[240],"systems":[243],"importance":[246],"with":[254],"guarantees.":[256]},"counts_by_year":[{"year":2026,"cited_by_count":2},{"year":2025,"cited_by_count":1}],"updated_date":"2026-05-16T06:04:12.930555","created_date":"2026-02-26T00:00:00"}