Some believe that such partnerships could give a big boost to PC-based control on the factory floor. Siemens has previously forged similar partnerships with companies that make motion controllers and vision systems, in an effort to sell PC-based systems as a foundation for integrated control. Siemens executives believe that such relationships reflect the real value of PC-based control. The company designed its Simatic WinAC Open Development Kit to enable users to build custom interfaces for such applications. But if you want to integrate other systems into your controls, then the soft PLC provides an advantage.
Integration is the defining advantage of soft logic.
Until now, most industrial customers have continued to opt for traditional hard PLC control over soft control, mainly because of perceived issues of determinism. More recently, makers of soft PLC systems have touted the advantages of front-office connections and Ethernet compatibility to convince factory automation engineers to consider their technology. 2001 CMP Media Inc. All rights reserved.