Virtual Control

Virtual Control

The new Virtual PLCnext Control portfolio offers an innovative solution for industrial automation. It abstracts control tasks from physical devices and executes them on high-performance computers, increasing flexibility, scalability, and cost efficiency. As a software code package in an OCI container, it enables seamless integration, combines OT and IT security, and optimizes costs by consolidating multiple PLC instances.

More information

Ask a question for additional information about these products

Illustration of virtual PLC with cloud and products

Efficient and flexible control solutions with Virtual PLCnext Control

Virtual controls are playing an increasingly important role in modern industrial automation. This technology enables you to abstract control tasks from physical devices and execute them on high-performance computer architectures, providing flexibility, scalability, and cost efficiency. The Virtual PLCnext Control is a software code package in the form of an OCI container, which provides a familiar environment with functions as well as operating and programming options that will also be known to you from hardware-based PLCnext Control.

This technology allows resources such as CPU cores and RAM to be scaled dynamically while providing seamless IT/OT convergence and a robust combination of OT and IT security. Easy maintenance and the ability to easily move applications between different hardware platforms make Virtual PLCnext Control a cost-effective and flexible solution for modern control tasks.

  • Cost efficiency: By using multiple virtual controls on a single hardware platform, procurement costs can be reduced and new controllers can be implemented quickly and without additional hardware costs.

  • Flexibility and scalability: The controllers can be easily adapted and extended to meet new requirements. Resources such as CPU cores, RAM, and network interfaces are scalable. Applications can be seamlessly moved from one hardware to another thanks to container technology.

  • Ease of maintenance: Maintenance and updates can be carried out easily using proven IT administration mechanisms. The use of containers simplifies management and deployment.

  • Cybersecurity: The combination of IT and OT security measures provides comprehensive protection and the isolated operation of the virtual controls in the container minimizes the risk of security vulnerabilities.

  • Energy efficiency: By consolidating hardware, energy consumption can be reduced, therefore offering a sustainable solution.

  • Future-proofing: The high degree of adaptability and expansion capability of the Virtual PLCnext Control ensures that you are equipped for future developments and technologies.

  • IT/OT convergence: The seamless integration of IT and OT enables more efficient networking and control of data and processes.

Contained-based virtual PLC

Container-based Virtual PLCnext Control

Thanks to container technology and the resulting increasing hardware independence, Virtual PLCnext Control can benefit directly from the interfaces, functions, and performance of the target hardware. For example, connection to the system network via Wi-Fi and deep learning by using the target hardware performance are possible. Furthermore, Virtual PLCnext Control provides familiar functions from the PLCnext Control world, such as the firewall, the certificate server, fieldbus connections, and even database functions. OPC UA and PROFINET can be used to communicate with the SCADA and control system as well as with the I/O fieldbus level.

Product overview

We will be able to offer you the following licenses in the future. Find the right solution for your application.

Virtual PLCnext Control

1000

Virtual PLCnext Control

2000

Virtual PLCnext Control

3000

ESM 1 2 4
Tasks / ESM 4 8 16
Number of ARs 16 64 128
Number of Modbus/TCP servers 8 16 32
Program memory 4 MB 8 MB 12 MB
Data memory 6 MB 12 MB 32 MB

Areas of application

Virtual controls are widely used in various industries and offer numerous advantages, especially for IT experts. In order to respond to changing market requirements, they enable production lines to be adapted quickly and flexibly in the manufacturing industry. In the field of building automation, they ensure efficient control of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, which optimizes energy consumption. To ensure a constant and reliable power supply, virtual controls are essential in the energy industry for monitoring and managing power grids. Virtual PLCs, particularly in edge computing applications, unleash their strengths by facilitating the seamless integration of operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT). These versatile possible applications make virtual controls a future-proof solution for industrial automation.