1. An apparatus for automated control of a system having a plurality of cooperating components involving controlled elements and sensors, the apparatus comprising: a simulator configured to simulate operation of said components, said simulator storing data representing states of said components and configured to modify said states over time in accordance with simulated operation of said system; an input module receiving data from at least said sensors and configured to update in said simulator said data representing states of said components; and an output module reading from said simulator said data representing states of said components and configured to generate at least controlled element control signals for said controlled elements of said components, wherein said simulator contains a virtual state machine representing said system, and automation of said system is achieved without state machine logic representing said system within said input module and said output module, wherein said simulator comprises: one or more automated control system component simulators configured to generate said data representing states of said components using a dynamic model of a automated control system component; one or more product component simulators configured to generate data representing at least one state of a unitary product or component thereof made by said automated control system; and control logic configured to respond to said data representing said states of components and to said data representing said at least one state of a unitary product or component thereof to generate data representing states of actuators associated with said components, wherein said control system component simulators and said product component simulators comprise said input module and are configured to receiving data from at least said sensors and to update in said component simulators said data representing states of said components.