The AI assistant helps to make knowledge available more quickly, reduce routine tasks, detect errors early, and shorten development times. The AI assistant is available as of PLCnext Engineer version 2027.0.
Industrial AI
Use Industrial AI throughout your value chain: for faster engineering, optimized processes, high system availability, and well-informed decisions.
Industrial AI for measurable improvements in planning, engineering, operations, and service We are making Industrial AI accessible where it creates the greatest added value
We are laying the technological foundation that enables you to integrate AI applications into machines, systems, and industrial processes in an open, secure, and practical manner. From faster product selection and more efficient engineering through to intelligent support for operations, maintenance, and service: Our AI-based solutions help make tasks easier, faster, and more reliable. By analyzing industrial data, it is possible to identify patterns, forecast trends, and specifically optimize work and programming processes to make them more efficient.
Your advantages What Industrial AI at Phoenix Contact can do for your industrial system
- Accelerate engineering: create code, configurations, tests, and documentation more efficiently. Access existing project knowledge more quickly.
- Increase system availability: identify deviations in good time, prevent failures, and plan maintenance measures more effectively.
- Check quality and processes: evaluate process information automatically. Support quality control processes. Identify opportunities for optimization.
- Use energy and resources more efficiently: forecast consumption. Avoid peak loads. Use data to optimize processes.
Products and solutions
AI as a co-engineer for coding, programming, and commissioning Less effort, faster results
Recurring programming tasks, extensive documentation, and time-consuming testing tie up valuable engineering resources. With AI-powered tools, you can automate these tasks, detect errors early on, and reduce your reliance on specialized expert knowledge.
The new PLCnext Engineer helps developers to create, understand, test, and document automation projects more quickly. This leaves more time for working on the actual automation task, while routine tasks are handled in the background.
- Accelerate programming and configuration
- Use automated testing and documentation
- Identify and correct errors early on
- Bring new employees up to speed faster
- Reduce commissioning times and project risks
MCP app: the link between agentic AI, diagnostics, and service Networked knowledge, better diagnostics
The sheer volume of data sources, systems, and applications is constantly growing. You can use the MCP app for PLCnext Technology, to connect data, tools, and knowledge sources via the Model Context Protocol (MCP) to create a shared context for AI agents and assistance systems.
This enables AI agents to access process data, OPC UA variables, log files, documentation, engineering information, and community knowledge, and to link them together intelligently. The result enables faster diagnostics, more informed decisions, and more efficient service processes.
- Easily connect data sources and applications
- Provide information based on context
- Supply AI agents with relevant knowledge
- Streamline diagnostics and support processes
- Reduce search efforts and media discontinuities
- Realize open and scalable integrations
Use machine learning to make informed decisions 30% faster in operations and maintenance Fewer downtimes, increased planning reliability, optimized use of resources
Unplanned downtimes, complex system structures, and fragmented knowledge make rapid troubleshooting difficult. Industrial AI helps service teams to automatically compile the relevant information, pinpoint root causes more quickly, and determine the next steps in a targeted manner. By intelligently linking operational data, documentation, maintenance information, and expert knowledge, errors can be identified more quickly and maintenance measures planned more efficiently.
MLnext analyzes operational data, detects anomalies, and provides relevant information from various sources in a context-sensitive manner. This enables service technicians to access the information they need for diagnostics, troubleshooting, and maintenance decisions more quickly.
- Identify anomalies and risks early on
- Reduce unplanned failures
- Better prepare for maintenance actions
- Reduce waste and energy consumption
- Sustainably improve product quality
- Scale expertise, lighten the load on experts
- Streamline service and diagnostic processes
The success of Industrial AI begins with a reliable data foundation Unlock existing data, break down data silos, and use AI effectively
Industrial AI requires a reliable and transparent data foundation. Phoenix Contact is satisfying the prerequisites for this at two levels. Our products themselves provide valuable digital information, such as device identifiers, technical specifications, configurations, documentation, and certificates. Through the Asset Administration Shell (AAS), this information is made available in a standardized digital format and consolidated into a consistent digital image of your assets.
In addition, our solutions collect, network, and harmonize data from industrial systems and processes. We enable a seamless and secure flow of data, from the field level, through control and network technology, right through to edge computing, data management, and AI platforms.
The result is a comprehensive view of assets, systems, and processes. Data silos are broken down, knowledge is made usable, and the foundation for trustworthy Industrial AI applications is laid. This enables you to achieve the data transparency needed to turn the potential of Industrial AI into measurable added value more quickly.
References
Find the right product faster now You search, PIA finds – our AI assistant for products and solutions
Are you looking for the right solution for your application? Use PIA, our AI assistant. PIA will help you find products, features, and the right solutions quickly and easily. Use PIA right here on our website and in the PLCnext Store.
FAQs: Supporting engineering with generative AI If you have any further questions regarding Industrial AI, please feel free to use our contact form. Our experts will be happy to answer your specific questions.
The PLCnext Engineer AI assistant supports developers with typical engineering tasks such as project analysis, device configuration, code analysis, code optimization, and documentation creation directly within PLCnext Engineer.
Yes. The AI assistant analyzes project structure and source code and can clearly summarize functions, relationships, and workflows.
Yes. The AI assistant analyzes existing code and identifies potential risks and opportunities for optimization. The AI assistant helps create program structures, variables, and code suggestions based on natural speech input.
The architecture supports various large language models (LLMs). Customers can decide for themselves which model they want to use.
FAQs: Using MCP to open up industrial systems for AI assistants
The MCP app enables standardized access to information, diagnostic data, and selected functions of PLCnext Technology systems. It runs directly on the PLCnext Control and provides data, context information, and tools via the open MCP (Model Context Protocol) interface. This enables AI applications and digital assistants to easily interact with PLCnext Technology systems. The MCP app consolidates access to key information and functions of the PLCnext Technology system through a unified interface. These include system information, diagnostic data, GDS data, files, log files, and OPC UA data, among others.
This significantly simplifies and speeds up commissioning, maintenance, error analysis, and system diagnostics. At the same time, the MCP app serves as the foundation for integrating AI assistants and agents into industrial applications.
The MCP app is based on the open Model Context Protocol (MCP). This means that it can be used with all MCP-compatible clients, AI assistants, and agents.
These include, for example, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, Continue, and future MCP-enabled applications. The open MCP ecosystem enables cross-vendor and interoperable use of AI applications.
Among other information, the MCP app can provide the following:
• Device and hardware information
• Firmware and version information
• Runtime and status information
• Diagnostic data
• GDS data
• Files and log files
• OPC UA data
• License information
• Events, alerts, and notifications
Yes. The MCP app supports the latest security mechanisms such as authentication, role-based access control, encrypted communication, logging, and request rate limiting.
In addition, it utilizes the existing security functions of PLCnext Technology. This ensures that only authorized users and applications can access system information and functions.