Partnership bridges IT and OT worlds in mission-critical industrial environments

Lynx Software Technologies has announced a partnership with the CODESYS Group to provide a platform that can deploy industrial control automation technology on general purpose computer platforms alongside artificial intelligence (AI) / machine learning (ML), security and other application workloads.

The LYNX MOSA.ic™ for Industrial product, Lynx’s mission critical edge platform, provides virtual air gapping between the control automation and other workloads. The combination makes it possible for edge use cases that require mixed criticality workloads to be hosted on the same hardware platform.

The foundational building block in the LYNX MOSA.ic for Industrial product is the LynxSecure® Separation Kernel, which provides strong isolation of applications, deterministic real-time performance and management of critical system assets outside operating systems to increase immunity to cybersecurity attacks. In addition, Lynx has developed unique management technologies that allow mission critical edge systems to be deployed at scale and meet the unique requirements of systems that enable OT and IT convergence.

In the majority of current deployments, Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) domains are separated by a demilitarized zone, the platform from Lynx and CODESYS can enable a software programmable logic controller (PLC), an ML/AI model, a human-machine interface (HMI) and an IoT Gateway workload to all run on the same edge system without hampering real-time performance.

“Our partnership with Lynx provides a bridge between the IT and OT worlds so industrial operators can now experience both functions coexisting on the same system while simultaneously meeting security and performance demands across every single edge workload in their mission critical industrial environments,” said Dieter Hess, co-CEO and co-founder of the CODESYS Group.

Benefits for industrial operators of the combination of technologies include: 

• Flexibility to deploy, manage and update workloads using the LynxSecure separation kernel hypervisor and its manageability features, following a consistent software lifecycle management, from the cloud to industrial endpoints
• Reduced system cost, power and footprint from the integration of multiple discrete systems into a single platform, while maintaining the real-time performance, reliability and safety demanded by OT networks
• Flexible management model of edge OT systems - devices can be managed from within the OT zone and host cloud managed and delivered workload alongside the CODESYS-based workload.

“By welcoming CODESYS into our growing industrial partner ecosystem we are able to solve an important challenge in the industry - that of enabling the software-defined world on the operational floor,” said Pavan Singh, vice president of product management, Lynx Software Technologies. “Now operators can leverage the best of new technologies developed in the information technology world while protecting and enhancing their current operations.”

• This partnership builds upon Lynx’s growing technology partner ecosystem to accelerate the realization of mission critical edge for industrial applications. Other recent news includes partnerships with Bosch Italia, Eurotech and the availability of Lynx MOSA.ic for Industrial in the Microsoft Azure marketplace.

@LynxSoftware @CODESYS_Group #Pauto 

Digital twin technology for machine tool manufacturing.

Originally known as pairing technology, and first used by NASA in the early days of space exploration, digital twin technology is now rapidly gaining industry acceptance as one of the most cost-effective means of accelerating the development of products, processes and services.

NUM has launched digital twin technology that enables machine tool manufacturers to reduce their time to market dramatically, by using powerful Industry 4.0 simulation techniques.

For automation products such as machine tools, a digital twin is a virtual model that uses simulation, real-time data acquisition/analysis and machine learning techniques to allow full evaluation of a machine’s dynamic performance before constructing a physical prototype. The same technology can also be employed for customer presentations, virtual commissioning and operator training purposes – and all well before the actual machine itself has even been built.

NUM offers two versions of digital twin technology, to best suit customers’ needs. Both versions are designed for use with NUM’s powerful, open-architecture Flexium+ CNC platform. One version uses a naked Flexium+ controller and resident virtualisation software running on the system’s industrial PC to simulate the twinned machine automation. The other version uses the actual Flexium+ controller that will eventually be incorporated in the machine, linked via EtherCAT to a standalone PC running specialist high speed hardware simulation software to represent the mechatronics of the twinned machine.

The virtual controller version includes a software development kit for creating the software model of the machine. The model is a standalone PLC program that uses predefined components to simulate individual machine elements, such as sensors, spindles, pneumatic cylinders, etc. It is loaded into the integrated PLC of the Flexium+ controller. The Flexium NCK in the controller executes the NC programs and simulates the changing position values of the machine’s axes. To help users visualise the process, NUM’s package includes the CODESYS Depictor software tool produced by CODESYS GmbH, which is used to produce 3D visualisations from the IEC 61131-3 code created by the simulation.

The other version of NUM’s digital twin technology package accommodates real-time data acquisition and analysis. It is based on the ISG-Virtuous hardware simulation software produced by Industrielle Steuerungstechnik GmbH (ISG). The Flexium+ controller that is intended to be used in the physical machine is connected via an EtherCAT network to a standard PC, and interacts with the simulation software in real-time. The PC acts as the twinned virtual machine – with all simulated, virtual components behaving like real components in terms of their interfaces, parameters and operating modes – to accurately replicate the structure and dynamic performance of the real machine. The movements of the machine are displayed realistically on the PC, using the supplied 3D simulation software.

NUM’s new digital twin technology provides machine tool manufacturers with a very powerful and cost-effective means of reducing their developments costs and accelerating their time to market. The virtual controller version is especially useful for the early development stage of a project, before the CNC system has been finalised, while the real-time hardware simulation version has the advantage that all sequencing (PLC) and motion control (CNC) programs that are created during development can simply be transferred to the real machine as soon as it becomes available.

@NUM_CNC #PAuto #Manufacturing

Interface portfolio now supported by CODESYS.

CODESYS* Control Win SL from 3S-Smart Software Solutions GmbH now supports the Ixxat® PC/CAN interfaces from HMS.

The Ixxat PC/CAN interface portfolio from HMS Networks is available for all common PC interface standards, such as USB, Ethernet, Bluetooth, PCIe, PCIe Mini and PCIe 104. Now, this comprehensive range of interfaces is directly supported by CODESYS.

The library required for operation is included within CODESYS version 3.5.14.0 or newer. In addition to the CODESYS installation, only a VCI-V4 driver installation is required to use all Ixxat PC/CAN interfaces under CODESYS. The VCI-V4 driver can be downloaded for free from the Ixxat website.

Using the integrated library, it becomes very easy to access the CAN bus via CODESYS Control Win SL controller applications. For accessing the CAN network, the user can choose between different Ixxat hardware solutions, e.g. a compact Ixxat PCIe Mini CAN interface, which is integrated directly in the controller application, or an external Ixxat CAN interface, which is accessed via USB or Ethernet.

In addition, the Ixxat PC/CAN interfaces can be used with the CODESYS CANopen Master and CODESYS CANopen Slave application, or with any other CAN RAW application on the CODESYS Control Win SL controller.

* CODESYS is a hardware-independent IEC 61131-3 automation software for developing and engineering controller applications.

 #CODESYS @hmsnetworks #PAuto 

CODESYS Experience with IPC based I/O controller, remote I/O and HMI.

Advantech’s new ADAM-5560CDS, is a cost efficient modular IPC controller based on CODESYS V3 embedded engineering platform equipped with an Intel Atom D510 CPU including controller specific features such as a watch dog, RAM with battery back-up and pre-installed with the real time embedded OS WIN CE6.0. The basic unit provides space for 7 internal I/O slots (for digital and analog I/O) which can totally support applications up to 224 I/O points. Two on board Ethernet ports (2xRJ45) allow the connectivity to multiple network architectures and remote I/O components.

For additional external and long distance I/O expansion, Advantech offers a selection of various remote I/O extension units. The ADAM-5000TCP and ADAM-5000/485 can be connected through the Modbus TCP Ethernet Remote I/O LAN port or Internal RS 485 Modbus/RTU port. Both remote I/O extension units provide additional space for further 4 or 8 I/O modules. The full range of intelligent digital, analog and counter modules includes ADAM 6000 (Modbus TCP Ethernet based) series, ADAM 4000 (Modbus RTU, RS485 based series) and ADAM 2000 (wireless sensor Network I/O). 

At the core of the PC based controller is the actual version of the CODESYS V3 Runtime System CODESYS Control and Visualization. The CODESYS Development system from 3S-Smart Software Solutions is the automation market standard for the development of IEC-61131-3 compliant applications. The free of charge Development system includes all the components for engineering, all 6 IEC-61131- languages, and compiler for the native machine code, a powerful debugger and a clear project configurator. Besides the pure soft logic programming capability of the CODESYS engineering tool, an integrated graphical editor allows the system integrator to develop the target visualization, which can be displayed through an additional industrial Panel Monitor connected to the internal VGA port of the ADAM-5560. 

The web-based visualization option of the CODESYS Visualization enables remote access, monitoring and HMI services over the internet. A standard web-browser communicates with the web server in the controller and displays the visualization by means of HTML5. For the optional integrated Web based HMI functionality, WebVizu, Advantech provides a selection of 7” to 12” rugged and fanless browser based Touch Panel PC of the WOP-3000 series.

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A Complete CODESYS Experience at an Incredible Bundle Price!
Advantech is celebration it’s cooperation with CODEYS with a run of the “Advantech-CODESYS bundle” promotion in Europe. The latest promotion kicked off on July 2015 and is open for purchases until 31st of December 2015. The promotion is part of Advantech Industrial Automation Group’s ongoing efforts to offer customers in the European market with great-value deals.

The “Advantech-CODESYS bundle” promotion is focused on Advantech ADAM-5560CDS with the integrated CODESYS runtime providing a flexible and Scalable PC-Based controller solution platform for many cost effective solutions in Internet of Things (IOT) applications, in automation solutions and data acquisition and control applications in Energy and Facility Management Air and Water management, Waste Water, and Green House Automation The promotion offers Advantech customers below benefits:

• The bundle is available at 1750 EUR, 60% off the initial price
• Greater productivity with an optimized development interface
• Flexible modularity and improved re-usability through object orientation
• Simple engineering supports user-friendly controller configuration and communication.
• Full Integration of all Advantech Modbus TCP/RTU remote devices
• Free CODESYS development System supporting 6 PLC languages accordingly IEC- 61131-3
• Practice-oriented for fast creation of simple applications
• Powerful for large-scale projects and extensible by add-on tools
• Harmonized tools with consistent designs for functionality and operation
• Customizable functionality and user interface of the development environment

The “Advantech-CODESYS bundle” promotion is valid till 31st of December 2015 and includes the following Advantech products:

• 1 item ADAM-5560CDS (7-slot PC-based Intel Atom CPU Soft Logic Controller with Integrated Target Visualization)
• 2 items ADAM-5051D-BE (I/O Module)
• 2 items ADAM-5056D-AE (I/O Module)
• 2 items ADAM-5055S-AE (I/O Module)
• 1 item ADAM-5071H-BE (I/O Module)
• 1 item WebOP-3070T (Browser Based HMI for WebVisu)
• 1 item FPM-2150G (15’’ Touch Panel Monitor for TargetVisu)

Automation programming standard course

CoDeSys V3 training comes to Britain

In the automation industry, proprietary programming languages are widely used. But, to protect investment in product and infrastructure, reduce cost in maintenance, and make workforce skills sustainable and transferable, compliance to international or open standards is the key. IEC61131-3 is such an open international standard for automation programming and CoDeSys is a widely used system that fully utilises many functions of IEC61131.

CoDeSys Version 3, released in 2006, has set a new standard in object-oriented programming for automation tasks. The following are some of the highlights compared to the widely-applied Version 2.3:

• Programming of complete PLC networks including multiple PLCs or controllers within one single project
  
• Modularisation of the development system in components with separated versions or user defined versions
  
• Visualisation can be easily extended to new client PCs
  
• No longer a development system but an open automation engineering platform suitable for extensions and integration of other solutions

CoDeSys V3 Basic is a 3-day training programme, developed and run by the German company, 3S Smart Software Solutions. The course is presented by 3S at MMU's Automation Systems Centre 27 to 29th October.

The course is for everyone who wants to know modern PLC programming. No prior knowledge of CoDeSys V2.3 or other PLC programming skills are required. As an introductory offer the course is priced at just £450 and booking may be made through administration at Profibus UK.

What wikipedia says about CoDeSys!