Let’s face it: softPLC devices are easier to work with than traditional PLCs. The advantages of a softPLC are increasingly clear, especially in the era of Industry 4.0, where principles such as flexibility, efficiency and cost-effectiveness are essential.
This trend was confirmed at SAVE 2019. During this important event dedicated to industrial automation and instrumentation, softPLC solutions stole the scene.
Discover the benefits that make this technology the perfect solution for the future of industrial automation.
Why SoftPLC? 3 advantages of SoftPLC vs PLC
1. They are more cost-effective
It is now a common opinion: softPLCs help reducing production costs. Compared to traditional PLC solutions, they have lower installation and maintenance costs. Hence, they are generally less expensive. In addition, they promote efficiency, which translates into increased productivity and, consequently, higher profits.
2. They are more flexible and user-friendly
As already mentioned, traditional programmable logic controllers (PLC) can often be difficult to use. In particular, they are not easily programmable since they do not always support the most common programming languages, but only the manufacturer’s. This can obviously make the operator’s job more difficult.
On the other hand, softPLCs support different programming languages, with advantages such as easier configuration and update. This is why they are the best solution in high-volume industrial environments, where constant updates are required.
3. Offer greater security
Safety is another important issue in Industry 4.0 and many of the traditional PLCs do not have the required degree of security. On the other hand, a softPLC device offers advanced security options in line with current industry standards. For example, it allows you to customize access permissions to production data to prevent unauthorized access.
Benefits of ESA SoftPLC
ESA offers a softPLC solution that integrates CODESYS, the most popular and complete IEC 61131-3 development environment for industrial controllers programming. Its main benefits are:
- Integration with CREW to be able to share and use all project data on our SCADA.
- Flexible and open architecture: users can choose among five different programming languages.
- CODESYS Runtime and EtherCAT master are the ideal solution for any PLC application, local or distributed.
- IEC programming languages can be combined within the same SoftPLC application.