PLCs (controllers) and I/Os - intelligent automation

Find the appropriate PLCs (controllers) and I/Os with IP20 and IP65/IP67 degrees of protection, whether as a system or as a remote I/O station for a wide range of different Ethernet networks. Program in IEC 61131-3 or high-level languages, and ensure your system is secure for the future. For example, with PLCnext Technology you can already implement the latest trends like artificial intelligence or transform sustainable solutions in the solar industry into smart solutions.

Open to the future

The world of automation is changing. The digitalization, networking, and globalization of business and technical systems are generating new market requirements. Manufacturers of future-oriented automation systems must be ready to provide their customers with the ability to meet the standards of modern IoT applications. Phoenix Contact therefore provides future-oriented PLCs, I/O systems, and PLC software. From components through to the complete system, for the control cabinet and field installation. Professional automation for your systems: from decentral water supply to highly complex painting lines in the automotive industry.

PLCnext Technology – enhance your automation thinking

PLCnext Technology connects the IT and OT worlds Ready your application for IIoT and Industry 4.0

PLCnext Technology is the ecosystem for industrial automation consisting of open hardware, modular engineering software, a global community, and a digital software marketplace. Digitalization and globalization are placing new demands on industrial automation. The precisely-tailored design of the open automation system is just as important as flexible, modular expansion.

In addition to standard PLC programming in accordance with IEC 61131-3, parallel programming and the combination of programming languages such as C/C++, C#, and MATLAB® Simulink® in real time is also possible with PLCnext Control. Accelerate your application development process with the free basic version of PLCnext Engineer. Or use your familiar programming environment – you decide!

Through simple cloud integration, the option to use open source software, and the constantly growing expertise of the PLCnext Community, you thus benefit from new forms of collaboration. The resulting solutions apps, software modules, runtime systems, and function extensions are available in the PLCnext Store and ensure enormous time and cost savings when creating applications. This makes PLCnext Technology the ideal ecosystem for your modern automation challenge.

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PLCnext Control

PLCnext Control are the hardware for the PLCnext Technology ecosystem, combining the reliability and security of the classic PLC world with the openness and flexibility of smart devices.

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PLCnext Store

Solution apps, software modules, runtime systems, and function extensions are available in the PLCnext Store and save time and costs during your application development. You can also become a developer and sell your own app.

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PLCnext Community

Through simple cloud integration, the option to use open source software, and the constantly growing expertise of the PLCnext Community, you will benefit from new forms of collaboration.

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PLCnext Engineer

PLCnext Technology includes a new development environment with HTML5 visualization and seamless integration of high-level languages. Accelerate your application development with the free basic version of PLCnext Engineer.

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PLCs, PLC extensions, I/O systems, and software for PLCnext Technology

Automation technology for PLCnext Technology

Use our broad portfolio of automation technology consisting of PLCs, functional PLC extensions, I/O systems, and software to ready your system for IIoT and Industry 4.0 with PLCnext Technology. The open ecosystem enables the implementation of automation projects without the limits of proprietary systems. Integrate open-source code and apps, or network with PLCnext Control via cloud connections.

PLCnext Technology allows parallel programming based on established software tools. These include Visual Studio, Eclipse, Matlab Simulink, and PLCnext Engineer, as well as the freely selectable integration of existing program code. This enables you, for example, to freely combine functions in accordance with IEC 61131-3 with routines from C/C++, C# or MATLAB® Simulink®, and to merge these functions to create a complete system.

Phoenix Contact provides scalable PLCs with the IP20 degree of protection for this purpose. From modular controllers for small applications, through centrally managed high-performance controllers, right through to PC-based edge devices, this product family always provides a suitable solution for your project. The modular controllers give you a high degree of flexibility in the design of your stations. Choose from a wide portfolio of I/Os or extend the functionality of the controller by adding function modules on the left side. You can also integrate new technologies such as OPC UA, TSN, and 5G with the open Linux core. PLCnext Control thus offers the highest level of future-proofing.

More about automation technology for PLCnext Technology

Axioline family remote I/O system for the control cabinet and field installation

Remote I/O systems for the control cabinet and field installation

Choose from an extensive range of remote I/O systems for the control cabinet, also for particularly fast data communication. Implement safety applications with our PROFIsafe modules, for example, or with no safety controller at all by using SafetyBridge Technology. Our I/O systems can be combined perfectly with all Phoenix Contact programmable logic controllers.

For decentral automation without a control cabinet, you can use I/O modules in a block design with high functionality and a particularly robust design for harsh industrial environments. You can extend the scope of functions of your application by using digital I/Os along with an IO-Link master and the corresponding IO-Link devices.

More about I/O systems

Classic PLCs in accordance with IEC 61131

Classic PLCs in all performance classes for IEC 61131-3 programming

Phoenix Contact provides a broad PLC range for any requirement. Choose from programmable logic controller technology with the appropriate I/Os and high-performance PLCs for demanding automation tasks for small to medium-sized systems.

The modular controllers from the Axiocontrol series are designed for maximum performance, easy handling, and use in harsh industrial environments. Their particularly robust housing and excellent EMC properties provide the basis for this.

For high-availability and decentral automation, the high-performance PLC with
IEC 61131 control intelligence, redundancy technology, and network connection is the
ideal solution. The integrated fiber optics-based redundancy function enables an
uninterrupted process in the event of a PLC failure or replacement. RFC controllers are based on PROFINET and establish system redundancy automatically thanks to AutoSync Technology.

More about classic PLCs in accordance with IEC 61131

Controller for building automation

Building IoT – easy automation

The powerful ILC 2050 BI controller is specially designed for automation tasks in buildings. In particular, these include controlling and monitoring the building infrastructure and the energy management.

The extension with a large number of I/O components from the Inline system ensures the easy setup of a modular automation station for practically all tasks in the building infrastructure environment. The corresponding software makes the automated building IoT-capable – effortlessly.

Your advantages

Easy programming with the graphical build-up of control functions from a large library of ready-to-use blocks
Support for all of the main communication protocols in the field of building infrastructure automation technology
Possibility of live engineering without interrupting ongoing operation
Safeguard cost-efficient operation with remote access for programming, monitoring, software updates, and functional extensions
Secure operation with consistent encryption in the network, digital signaling, and authentication based on various user roles

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Limitless integration of trades and a flexible licensing model

The controller is based on the powerful Niagara framework. The key advantage here is the unified connection of various bus systems and protocols on the field level through data standardization. For this, there are numerous communication drivers for classic systems such as Modbus/RTU, BACnet MS/TP, and LON TP/FT10, as well as support for IP-based protocols such as Modbus/TCP, BACnet/IP, and KNXnet/IP. Naturally, building-specific protocols such as DALI, M-Bus, SMI, and others are also supported. The integrated network function ensures that all data points are very easily available anywhere within an overall system comprised of several controllers. External data exchange is possible using IoT protocols such as MQTT and OPC UA, among others.

A license is required for each controller. The basic version includes 100 data points and the support of numerous protocols. With extended licenses, the number of data points can be increased to up to 10,000. Driver licenses are available to extend the functional scope of the controller to include additional protocols. We recommend maintenance licenses to ensure that you benefit from software updates and new functions. These licenses are available with a runtime of one, three, or five years. A new release is issued twice per year.
On request, we will be happy to advise you on selecting the license suitable for your project.

Supervisor and workbench

A supervisor is a server-based automation station for superordinate tasks in a network, comprised of several type ILC 2050 BI controllers. With this, the central logging and aggregation of data points and a central alarm management and scheduling system are possible.
The supervisor realizes complex visualizations and simplifies integration into superordinate systems. It takes over central administration tasks such as rolling out software updates, as well as user and certificate management in the network. Moreover, it can independently implement control tasks with data points that are made available via TCP/IP-based protocols.

The workbench is the uniform software interface for the programming and administration of all controllers and supervisor stations in an overall network.
In the workbench, the control functions are developed in a graphic editor through linking and configuring function blocks. Changes are introduced without interrupting ongoing operation. The values of all data points are displayed in real time. If the data is temporarily overwritten, it is possible to view the histories. The use of self-created templates for more complex tasks facilitates effective workflows, even in large projects.

Controllers for e-mobility charging infrastructure

The CHARX control AC and DC charging controllers provide the intelligence for your networked charging stations. Thanks to their scalability, full connectivity, flexible configuration, and integrated load management, they are suitable for private, commercial, and public charging points – ranging from a home charging station to a parking garage.

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