TenAsys says that developers of automation equipment can use the INtime SDK to add real-time software components to CoDeSys, permitting complex soft PLC applications to be built on a range of embedded hard real-time platforms.
What's a soft PLC?A programmable logic controller (PLC) is a dedicated electronic device used for process control and automation, often in industrial and manufacturing environments. PLCs typically are based on proprietary embedded microcontrollers and software, and are programmed in a unique control language known as "ladder logic" (originally derived from relay-based control techniques).
A "soft PLC" simulates the functions of a PLC on a PC, allowing open architecture systems to replace proprietary PLCs.
CoDeSys soft PLCAccording to
3S, CoDeSys supports all five programming languages specified in the IEC 61131-3 standard. It also includes a broad range of high-performance development functions, such as all the data types specified by IEC 61131-3, offline simulation, and a variety of powerful debug functions including breakpoints, single stepping, power flow, sampling trace, and online change.
Background on IEC 61131-3 is available
here (PDF file).
INtimeTenAsys describes INtime as the only protected-mode real-time framework for Windows. INtime applications execute with guaranteed determinism as fully-protected user-mode processes in parallel with the Windows operating system on standard PC hardware.
With
support for SMP, INtime applications can run in either "shared" or "exclusive" mode. In shared mode, the INtime RTOS extension shares a single CPU with Windows. In exclusive mode, one CPU is dedicated to INtime while all others are dedicated to Windows processes, according to TenAsys.
AvailabilityCoDeSys SP (OEM) for INtime is available now from 3S. Additional development tools for writing real-time applications with INtime are available from TenAsys. Pricing is "dependent on the project," according to TenAsys.
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