The Future of PLC Programming by WonderLogix

08/11/2018 Salesbuddy | Handshake
http://beacon.by/magazine/v4/99683/pdf?type=print 1/27
The Future of PLC
Programming

Table of Contents
1. Cover
2. Introduction
3. 5 Reasons Why PLCs Are Here to Stay (for the
Foreseeable Future)
4. How Better PLC Programming Can Improve
Industrial Safety
5. One PLC Programming Language to Rule Them
All
Here's what you'll ﬁnd in this eBook:

Introduction
In this short eBook, we discuss the past, present, and
future of PLCs, as well as how recent advancements in
PLC Programming are revolutionizing Industrial Control
Systems.
After reading, you will have a better understanding of
PLC Programming, why change is needed in the industry,
and the beneﬁts of using a uniﬁed platform to program
and maintain your PLCs.
Additional Topics:
How to improve the security of your Industrial Control
System
Main causes of accidents in Industrial Control Systems
Challenges currently facing the industry
The History of PLCs
For more information on PLC Programming and other
related topics, visit our website.
www.wonderlogix.com

Do PLCs Belong in
the Past or in
our Future?
- CHAPTER 1 -
Have decades of advancements in
technology made PLCs obsolete?

PLCs: Living Fossils or the Future
of Industrial Control Systems?
Upon ﬁrst glance, you might see PLCs as modern dinosaurs living amongst more
evolved technologies in your Industrial Control System setup.
In fact, when compared with a modern PC, or even the smartphone in your
pocket, PLCs can often seem painfully primitive and outdated.
However, despite incredible advancements in technology over the last few
decades, PLCs continue to form the backbone of automated systems, remaining
relatively unchanged since the Modicon 084’s invention and entry into the market in
1969.
To put things in perspective, the PLC had already reached commercial success
and widespread use throughout the factories of America’s industrial giants, such as
General Motors and General Electric, years before Microsoft or Apple were ever
founded.

So, why haven’t more sophisticated forms of hardware been able to replace a
technology that’s been around for nearly 50 years?
1. PLCs Are Extremely Reliable
What would otherwise be seen as caveats in other technologies, such as minimal
features and limited connectivity, are what give the PLC its strength. There’s no
interaction with a graphics driver, wifi card, fancy touchscreen, or any of the
unnecessary features of a PC. In simple terms, the more things you have going on at
once, the higher the chance will be that something can go wrong.
In an industrial setting, setbacks and accidents simply aren’t permissible. The PLC
continues to provide trustworthy, reliable performance that a PC still can’t provide.
The last thing you would want at your factory is your operations coming to a halt
because your PC had to restart and install the newest update to Windows.
2. They’re Scaleable and Affordable
PLCs aren’t just designed for small factories. A modern PLC setup can be outfitted
with anywhere from 40 to over 10,000 I/O for large-scale operations. The same
control programs can also be ported to larger systems, allowing you to take
advantage of the same programming environment and use modular hardware.
In other words, PLC-based solutions can grow with your company in a way that
allows you to make add-ons, rather than completely replace your current
hardware. They’re also much more cost-effective than alternative technologies.
3. They Deliver High Performance
Moore’s Law of Computational Capability applies to PLCs in the same way that it
applies to a PC. One shouldn’t forget that today’s generation of PLCs is hundreds of
times faster than the first. These improvements are evidenced by sub-nanosecond
performance, increased bus speeds, and synchronization of multiple I/O, all of
which are available as soon as you open the box.

Sure, it is possible to achieve similar results with a PC, but you’ll be sacrificing the
additional benefits of PLCs and paying a much higher price for an alternative setup.
4. They’re Integrated
Chances are, the manufacturer of your factory equipment already has their own
PLC on the market. This means that you can stay within the same product
ecosystem and use parts that have been designed and optimized to work
together.
Using an assortment of third-party parts in your system can complicate everything,
from routine maintenance and repairs to upgrades and configuration. You also
don’t know how reliable they are. Keeping everything within the same ecosystem
and using the PLCs that belong to that family of products will make your life much
easier.
5. They’re Secure
Hackers are starting to focus their sights on industrial control systems to cause chaos
from a distance and harm corporations. The good news is that PLCs are much less
visible to the outside world and aren’t as affected by large-scale viruses like PCs
are.

While it sounds counterintuitive, being more low-tech can actually protect you from
the increasing amount of advanced malware that plagues devices connected to
the internet.
Many PLCs also have their own built-in security layers, such as password protection
and remote access that’s limited to certain IP addresses.
PLC Programming Is the Future
Thought PLCs were a thing of the past, did you?
As it turns out, PLCs have a bright future ahead of them and will continue to form
the basis of global manufacturing for the foreseeable future. Their performance,
reliability, security, scalability, and integration with other technologies make them
the top choice for any industrial control system.
WonderLogix’s platform is designed to make programming and commissioning your
PLC projects a breeze and requires absolutely no previous coding knowledge
whatsoever—everything is done in plain English.
Schedule a quick consultation with our team to learn how WonderLogix can slash
your commissioning time in half and completely eliminate documentation time so
you can get your project to market faster.

The Relationship
Between PLCs and
Industrial Safety
- CHAPTER 2 -
Do PLCs really make Industrial
Control Systems Safer?

How Better PLC Programming
Can Improve Industrial Safety
Today, most businesses routinely include industrial safety in both their manufacturing
processes and company culture. Gradual improvements in communication and
engagement have also helped reduce accident levels across the board. However,
despite all this progress, many key areas remain in which further improvement is
absolutely necessary.
Surprisingly, the greatest room for improvement can be found within the spheres of
process engineering and industrial control systems.
A recent study by The French Bureau for Analysis of Industrial Risks and Pollutions
(ARIA) found that programming errors accounted for 20% of the root causes of
processing accidents. The toll also extends beyond safety to economic impact as
well, with studies from other groups ﬁnding that “process industries lose 5% of their
output due to unscheduled downtime”. 20% of industrial processing accidents are
caused by bad PLC code.

Why Current Industrial Safety Is Still Lagging Behind
For process engineers and automated control systems to integrate fully into a
culture of safety, it helps to understand just how industrial automation arrived at this
point. (Read about additional challenges caused by the disconnect between
process and control engineering in our previous article)
1. PLCs, Industrial Control Systems, and the “Machine”:
First, much of modern industrial safety culture centers around task performance and
proper training for said tasks. Even though most safety programs focus on repetitive
labor, movement of materials and operator training to eliminate or reduce
accidents, PLCs and industrial control systems themselves are often overlooked as a
potential source because they’re considered part of the machine, rather than a
cause for danger.
2. Process Interpretations and Specifications:
Many times the interpretation of process specifications is left to the individual
programming the components. As “part of the machine”, the goal is narrowly
defined as the need to get the PLC programmed and the machine operating.
Misinterpretation of specifications, lack of standards, or misunderstanding how to
program safety considerations into the controller itself can be costly.
3. Habit and Tradition:
The hardest part of an organization to change is the culture. Within process
industries, methods traditionally used to develop and program have changed little
in the last forty years. This methodology and the habitual and traditional tendency
to maintain it “as is” is an obstacle to building in safety at the control level.

3 Steps To Safer Industrial Control Systems
The above factors have led to a disconnect between control system programming
and safety. And while all processes continue to evolve over time, what is needed is
more of a revolution and the integration of safety at the design and programming
stages of a control system. Designing functional safety into the controller is both
safer and more cost-effective when done on the front end of the process rather
than as an add-on after an accident has occurred.
1. Methodology:
Professional organizations have begun to develop protocols to help process
industries develop their own guidelines for programmable logic controllers using
standardized methods. Specifying the precise methodology, range, and steps
required for safety considerations to be built into the programming at the front end
in a way that addresses industry-specific needs for that process.
2. Getting Process Proactive:
Process industries have long incorporated safety programs that rely on people,
training, and vigilance throughout their organizations. But there is no need for
process engineers to wait for these initiatives to come to them. They can be
proactive in an effort to build safer, more precise systems. Accurate programming,
with safety considerations designed into the system at the outset, provides an
opportunity for engineers to take control of the initiative instead of leading from
behind.
3. Industry 4.0 Peer Pressure:
Other industries have already revolutionized the way products are produced. Virtual
part lists, 3D scanning and imaging, and other tools have allowed these industries to
make huge leaps forward competitively, as well as in designing safer products and
processes. When considering how to update and improve the development and
programming of automated control systems, engineers can use the success of
these peer groups to improve their own discipline and communication.

Better PLC Programming Is the Solution
Changing how control systems are developed and programmed is difficult,
especially in our slow-to-change industry. Developing more precise methodology will
help eliminate manual errors and interpretational differences through adherence to
best practices and defined quality goals.
But process engineers must also engage proactively as leaders to include these
changes at the outset of the process. And finally, comparing the success of process
change within other industries can help process engineers improve their own
methods and systems.
Our platform, WonderLogix, gives both skilled engineers and those who know
absolutely nothing about coding the ability to maintain accurate, scalable PLC
code that eliminates human error from the equation and increases industrial safety.
Learn more about how WonderLogix can save you time and money, as well as
protect your industrial control systems.

Why PLC
Programming Needs
A Revolution
- CHAPTER 3 -
Coding errors, slowdowns in time-
to-market, and a shortage of skilled
programmers pose real problems
for the industry.

One PLC Programming Language
to Rule Them All
As you probably already know, the term “PLC
Programming” does not refer to a single programming
language.
Instead, it consists of 5 separate languages that have been standardized by
the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) for use with Programmable
Logic Controllers. Once considered to be merely a “European standard”, the
IEC 61131-3 Standard for PLCs has even caught on in the United States.

There are 5 standardized PLC programming languages:
Why are there 5, you may ask? Each of these 5 of these languages has its own
benefits and advantages given the application, so it’s nearly impossible to accept
just one as the universal PLC programming language and dismiss the rest.
Regardless, most control engineers are experts in either just one or only a few of
these languages.
This phenomenon occurs because roughly 81% of PLC Programming is done with
Ladder Diagram (LD). This short video explains how the language works:
Historically, the simplicity of Ladder Diagram and its similarity to electrical circuit
diagrams have given those with a background in electrical engineering—but not
necessarily programming—an understanding of how a control system works. Even
without a programmer present, one of your electrical engineers could probably
walk over to the PLC and come up with a quick fix for an urgent problem.
Why This Is a Problem:
Despite its overwhelming popularity, programmers are starting to move away from
Ladder Diagram (LD), due to increasing complexities in PLC functionality. For
example, functions like PID loops, trigonometry, and data analysis are notoriously
difficult to implement with LD.
This has paved the way for the growth of languages like Function Block Diagram
(FBD) and (ST) Structured Text.
With so much variation and inconsistency, how can you ensure that your PLC code
stays functional, error-free, and easily maintainable across the board? What if the
engineer you hired is less than confident with his skills in Structured Text (ST) which is
absolutely necessary for your needs? What if a programmer is nowhere to be found
when an emergency happens? Will you just let any electrical engineer fiddle with
the PLC to find an immediate solution?

The Good News
Here’s some reassuring news: WonderLogix brings everything together in an easy-to-
use platform that can be understood and implemented by both control engineers
and those without a coding background alike. It eliminates uncertainty and
programming errors that could be catastrophic for the industrial control systems in
your factory.
Whether you and your team use one of these 5 languages, or are familiar with none
of them, you’ll be able to get the job done quickly, eﬃciently, and safely.
As we discussed in an earlier article, 20% of accidents in industrial control systems
are a result of programming errors and mistakes. By delivering simplicity and
reducing room for human error, WonderLogix keeps everything running smoothly.

Thanks for Reading!
VISIT OUR PAGE
To learn more about how WonderLogix is
revolutionizing the way the world programs their PLCs,
please visit our page.

The Future of PLC Programming by WonderLogix

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The Future of PLC Programming by WonderLogix