Is This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their Capabilities

Is This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their CapabilitiesJZGKCHINAIndustrial Control Technology Sharing Platform

Industrial control professionals believe:

Is This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their Capabilities

The source of all methods in industrial control

Is This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their Capabilities

What is it?

It is a PLC

Is This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their Capabilities

There are secrets to this PLC

Like the source of all methods in the universe, “Tathāgata”

—— Like a PLC

Is it programmable? Yes, it is indeed programmable. But is it really programmable? Yes, it is. Can it be programmed or not? Yes, it can.

Does it have logic? Yes, it does. But does it really have logic? Yes, it does. Is there logic or not? Yes, there is.

Can it control? Yes, it can. But can it really control? Yes, it can. Can it control or not? Yes, it can.

Look at the PLC, it is quite powerful.

Adding a “like” makes it even more powerful.

Is it an entity?

Is it not an entity?

Before it was created,

we could not assume whether it is a PLC.

Is This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their Capabilities

An expert asked another expert

Is a PLC hardware or software?

Is it at the terminal layer, edge layer, or cloud layer?

If complex calculations are added, is it still a PLC?

Is This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their Capabilities

Laozi once said

Is This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their Capabilities

The way that can be told is not the eternal way; the name that can be named is not the eternal name.

What does it mean?

Actually, Laozi couldn’t say for sure.

Some things

are just not that easy to describe.

Is This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their CapabilitiesIs This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their Capabilities

Wittgenstein summarized this situation

Is This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their Capabilities

Anything that can be said can be said clearly, and anything that cannot be said should remain silent.

Is This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their Capabilities

Therefore, the best answer to the above expert’s question

is to say nothing, pretending not to hear.

If the expert presses for an answer,

then inform them that these are all

“like a PLC”

Can hardware complete programming, logic, and control?

If yes, then it is like a PLC.

Can software complete programming, logic, and control?

If yes, then it is like a PLC.

……

Can it complete programming, logic, and control at the edge?

If yes, then it is like a PLC.

……

If complex calculations are added,

can it complete programming, logic, and control?

If yes, then it is like a PLC.

As long as it is programmable, has logic, and can control

it is a PLC.

Do not rigidly classify PLCs

into large, medium, and small types

and separate PLCs from IPCs

or separate HMIs from PLCs and PCs.

Is This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their CapabilitiesIs This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their CapabilitiesIs This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their Capabilities

Beckhoff X20CP0484 and X20CP0410 deployed on PC, integrating the computing power of the PC, and extending tasks to:

Is This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their Capabilities

Complex algorithm design

Such as multi-zone temperature control and pressure holding closed-loop algorithms for injection molding machines and extrusion

Is This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their CapabilitiesIs This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their Capabilities

Motion control

Time-critical axis control tasks

Is This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their CapabilitiesIs This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their Capabilities

Complex network data processing

Different protocol parsing and processing tasks, thus supporting various fieldbus mixed use

Is This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their Capabilities

Including integrated products with Web Server and FTP Server, it is also a PLC.

Is This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their CapabilitiesIs This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their Capabilities

PLC is no longer the PLC of the past.

We say they are all like PLCs.

Is it a PLC?

Yes, it is.

Yes, it is.

Yes, it is.

Is This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their Capabilities

Moreover,

within the world of automation,

there is also the so-called PAC/PCC/PC debate,

as well as edge controllers, next-generation PLCs,

and various other terms.

These are all disputes over names, not over substance.

Is This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their Capabilities

A PLC is an execution mechanism for embedded tasks, its core lies in the task carrier, and whether this task runs on hardware PLCs, PCs, or in the cloud is not that important. As a control center, the core value of a PLC lies in the application software, and the algorithms, software modules, methods, and systems accumulated over decades in the automation industry in vertical fields are the key.

Is This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their Capabilities

The integration of mechanics and control, the integration of processes and control, communication and control, sensing and control, merging across multiple boundaries gives controllers unlimited expansion capabilities. This capability is the key to the development of PLCs.

Is This Really a PLC? Understanding PLCs and Their Capabilities

Everything can be “like”

Everything can be “like”

Everything can be “like”

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