This webinar recap explores how controls engineers can leverage prominent software dev tools. Plus, there's a form to get the full webinar video!
High-level programming stacks have been reaping the benefits of the modern software development lifecycle for many years now. As automation systems evolve in complexity, there's a rising interest in integrating these same methodologies into the controls engineering and PLC programming workflows.
In a webinar on this topic, I showcased TwinCAT as the automation platform that's uniquely positioned to deliver a comprehensive, modern engineering experience. The good news is that you and your team can leverage Beckhoff technologies to realize the full software development lifecycle, including:
source control
automated testing
continuous integration
Here are some of the highlights. You can also fill out the form to watch the full on-demand webinar below:
Why software development lags in automation
Among its many advantages, TwinCAT 3 automation software offers an engineering platform that empowers automation professionals apply modern software development practices throughout the entire lifecycle. That’s important, since we all know the automation industry has been reluctant to change.
While this conservative approach makes sense given the critical nature of industrial processes, it has also created a widening gap between operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) practices. However, as automation systems grow in complexity, engineers will be expected to produce higher quality, data-driven and reusable solutions. These requirements will necessitate a closer alignment with software development methodologies.
Design and planning stage
A key area for this is the design and planning phase. Here, TwinCAT's support for the Unified Modeling Language (UML) allows users to visually conceptualize the components and states of their system.
By creating UML class diagrams and state diagrams within the TwinCAT development environment, engineers can automatically generate function block and object definitions. Those abilities lay the groundwork for a more structured, object-oriented approach to programming.
Implementation
Moving into the implementation stage, engineers can harness the benefits of object-oriented programming (OOP) in TwinCAT. By leveraging encapsulation, portability and reusability, OOP can lead to more modular, readable and future-proof code structures. That’s a stark contrast to the traditional, linear PLC programming approach.
I also stressed the importance of source control in the webinar – and I can’t stress it enough. This is an area where the automation industry has historically lagged. Fortunately, TwinCAT offers tight integration with Git for seamless version tracking and collaboration.
Test and deploy
The webinar then explored the test and deploy stages, highlighting TwinCAT's automation interface and its ability to facilitate continuous integration (CI) and automated testing. By integrating with tools like Jenkins and Azure DevOps, users can establish a comprehensive CI/CD pipeline, automating the build, test and deployment processes.
In addition, TwinCAT provides greater potential for unit testing within the PLC. The software’s object-oriented capabilities and the flexibility of the built in Automation Device Specification (ADS) simplify integration with a variety of test frameworks.
Maintenance and monitoring
Many TwinCAT users know the software as a powerful tool to create entirely new concepts in the early stages of the software development lifecycle. So what makes it advantageous in the field? For starters, TwinCAT delivers broad connectivity options for data acquisition and analytics.
From OT protocols like EtherCAT to IT protocols like OPC UA, TwinCAT provides a robust platform for monitoring both the PLC state and the application or process it is running. This enables comprehensive maintenance and troubleshooting capabilities.
Keep calm and code on
Beckhoff remains committed to bridging the gap between OT and IT. We provide automation professionals with a forward-thinking platform that leans hard into software development best practices.
By leveraging the capabilities in TwinCAT, engineers can streamline their workflows, improve code quality and ultimately deliver more sophisticated, data-driven automation solutions. I'm excited to see how the automation industry continues to evolve, and I'm confident that TwinCAT will play a crucial role in enabling this transformation.
Have more questions on how you can harness next-level programming capabilities in TwinCAT? Contact your local Beckhoff sales engineer today.
Check out our upcoming webinars and register for more!
Brandon Stiffler is a Software Product Manager for Beckhoff Automation LLC.
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