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Beckhoff TwinCAT |
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PC Control Technology: PLC and NC on the PC |
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The Windows Control and
Automation Technology
The Beckhoff TwinCAT Software System turns any compatible PC into a
real-time controller with a multi-PLC system, NC axis control, programming
environment and operating station. TwinCAT replaces conventional PLC and NC
controllers as well as operating devices with: |
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open, compatible PC
hardware |
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embedded IEC 61131-3
software PLCs and software NCs in Windows NT/2000/XP, NT/XP Embedded, CE |
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programming and
run-time systems optionally together on one PC or separated |
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connection to all
common fieldbusses and PC interfaces for I/O signals |
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data
communication with user interfaces and other programs by means of open
Microsoft standards (OPC, OCX, DLL etc.) |
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PC Control Technology: PLC
and NC on the PC
Beckhoff have realised PC control technology for PLC and NC axis functions.
With the integration of a powerful software PLC/NC into Windows
NT/2000/XP/CE and an I/O interface independent of the fieldbus, TwinCAT is
an entirely open and universal automation system. |
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The
PC is the controller
PC-based automation systems are currently being implemented as: |
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PLC, process control
computer or NC control system combined with PC, |
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Industrial PC with
coprocessor board for PLC/NC tasks. |
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PCs are not generally
assigned processing tasks directly. These are normally carried out by add-on
processors. The purely software-based solution is a new approach in which a
processor carries out all automation tasks within a singleprocessor mode.
With TwinCAT, a proprietary PLC/NC processor system is replaced by PC
software for processing PLC and NC tasks. |
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An automation system therefore now only consists of 4 components: |
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Industrial PC |
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an open fieldbus
system for I/O interface |
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a standard operating
system (Windows NT/2000/XP) for the user interface (HMI) |
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TwinCAT control
software: IEC 61131-3 PLC and NC |
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The benefits of this solution are: |
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almost unlimited
storage for programs and data |
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continuous development
in performance for automation tasks |
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full integration into
the operating system |
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few components |
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high level of system
reliability |
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Single-processor solutions
offer excellent system performance
The performance of PLC software solutions is significantly better than that
of a hardware PLC, and the performance figures rise further with every new
PC processor. |
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The limits of the system
are constantly being pushed back
It is not just the performance, but also the system limits that no longer
place a restriction on the PC: program size, flags memory, process image
size in practice, there is nothing left to wish for in these values. The
practical limits met with todays 32-bit PC technology are far less
restrictive than those of former PLC devices. The horizons are constantly
expanding: the controller grows too, simply because, running in software on
a standard PC, it automatically reflects the growth in PC performance. |
