1. A method for implementing a control program in a network of programmable logic controllers having input/output connections, comprising the steps of: a. translating the control program from a source code into a machine code having a plurality of statements; b. defining the configuration of the programmable logic controllers and the input/output connections in the network; c. automatically assigning each statement of the machine code to at least one programmable logic controller based on the defined network configuration; and d. transmitting each statement over a data transmission medium to the programmable logic controller assigned to the statement.