PLCopen 4: Blurring the Lines between PLC, Robot, and Motion Control

More and more end users are asking for robots, motion controllers, and PLC’s to be programmed in familiar PLC languages. These languages are easier for machine builder programmers to understand, and for end users service personnel to maintain. To reduce the complexity and harmonize the look, feel, and function of these three separate platforms, the PLCopen working group for motion control has come up with a set of standardized tools to allow coordinated motion to be run directly from a PLC-like programming environment.