PC-Based Control
The advent of PCs into the world of industrial automation has prompted the Siemens PC-based Control product line to focus on a solution that utilizes a PC rather than the traditional PLC. PCs offer the user a variety of benefits while providing the reliability and performance accustomed to with a PLC. PC-based control is Windows-based with open interfaces and standards.
SIMATIC WinAC
WinAC is an integrated solution for Control, HMI, networking and data processing, all running on a common platform. WinAC offers a software PLC option for Windows NT/2000 as well as a slot PLC option – either one able to run your process. The computing/visualization functionality provides all of the necessary open interfaces to view the process and to modify process data via standard applications. These include OPC, ActiveX and DCOM. Features include powerful commissioning and diagnostic functions through Step 7 - the Universal Development Environment for WinAC and Siemens PLC's - such as online monitoring, online changes, forced and bump less delta downloads. Other features include an integrated UPS function that permits controlled shutdowns in the event of a power outage, password security, and an ActiveX diagnostic buffer for importing Microsoft Office applications, such as Excel and Visual Basic applications to analyze current diagnostic data.
SIMATIC WinAC Open Developers Kit
The WinAC ODK product is used for extended expanding integration capabilities, the WinAC Open Development Kit (ODK) provides additional openness and flexibility for the user to expand capabilities as little or as much as desired. The ODK provides a programmable, high-speed interface for the WinAC software solution. It enables user written code, C/C++ or third party applications to be executed as part of the WinAC software PLC scan cycle. The ODK software architecture supports extremely fast and cycle synchronous data exchange between the user application and the software PLC logic, which may be needed, especially for vision or motion integration.