PLCnext – The Platform for Limitless Automation
Published on : Monday 30-11--0001
Compared to information technology, automation technology is much more conservative, as new technologies are being introduced more slowly. This is not so much due to the lack of innovation on the part of users as to the sensitivity of many automation systems. With PLCnext Technology, Phoenix Contact offers a platform that opens up many new levels of freedom, for example in terms of programming languages and tools, or the integration of open-source functions.
Integration of open-source functions
Ever more IT applications, such as communication with databases, cloud computing, and direct connection to ERP systems are finding their way into classic control technology. This reveals a fundamental weakness of most systems: It is difficult to integrate functions that are frequently available as open source. It often takes much time to implement such functions into an engineering environment where processing takes place in real-time.
Against this backdrop, Phoenix Contact developed the PLCnext Technology platform, which is unique in this form.
Processing of code in and out of real-time
In addition to the hardware based on ARM or x86, the operating system is the essential component of a modern processor system. To be used in a control system, the operating system must be real-time capable. Thus, Phoenix Contact decided on Linux with real-time extension for PLCnext Technology, which makes it possible to execute code in and out of the real-time context.
Hybrid operation of IEC 61131 and high-level language code
In modern applications, there will be an increasing amount of hybrid operation of IEC 61131 programs and high-level language components. Furthermore, the programmer must ensure that the data will be transmitted consistently from one process to the next.
Here, PLCnext technology offers the user or programmer an advantage, since it includes, among other things, the Execution and Synchronisation Manager (ESM) and the Global Dataspace (GDS). With the ESM, the user can easily configure programs written in IEC 61131, C++ or Matlab Simulink to a fixed processing cycle by means of an XML file, and define the processing sequence
Support of customary debugging mechanisms
PLCnext Technology also features an intelligent data logger that is also configured via an XML file and can save directly into SQL databases. In this way, process data can be logged synchronously with the cycle, and all important data can be recorded at the decisive point in time, for example, when limit values are exceeded. Furthermore, it also includes an OPC-UA server and client.
With PLCnext Technology, the user can draw on the open-source community. He thus has access to one of the largest software pools in existence.
Phoenix Contact India Pvt Ltd,New Delhi.
Email: [email protected]