New directions: The acrimonious debate over PC-based automation versus PLCs and distributed control systems is fading into obscurity. Now, the clever talk is of mobile, connected and cloud-based systems

摘要

Was the time when almost any analysis of automation and control systems, whether for packaged machinery or end-to-end production lines, would at some point consider the pros and cons of PCs versus PLCs (programmable logic controllers). Latterly, however, arguments have largely coalesced around a general acceptance that PCs are stronger in terms of advanced programming, networking and heavyweight data crunching, whereas PLCs score on robustness and ease of use (think of the IEC 61131-3 languages, for example). But few care anymore. Why would you, when most big automation and control suppliers now offer both PC and PLC functionality in factory formats right down at the backplane level?