TwinCAT, Your PLC is Outdated, Meet Its Smarter Twin

In today’s fast-paced manufacturing world, efficiency and flexibility are key. The options for PLC controls are immense and the choosing the wrong brand or version can cost thousands of dollars up front and tens of thousands of dollars in the long term.

Beckhoff’s TwinCAT 3 platform brings together engineering and runtime execution into one seamless ecosystem, think of it as the brain and nervous system of your automation setup. In this article, we’ll explore how TwinCAT 3 streamlines development, ensures real-time performance, integrates safety, scales with your needs, and even incorporates vision systems.

 Integrated Development Environment (IDE)

TwinCAT 3 taps into Microsoft Visual Studio, turning a familiar coding workspace into a full automation IDE. Whether you prefer IEC 61131‑3, C/C++, MATLAB®, or Simulink®, you can work in the same environment you already know:

• Multi‑language support: Choose the best language for each task.
• Debugging & version control: Benefit from Visual Studio’s powerful tools.
• Modular project structure: Keep your code, configurations, and libraries organized.

It’s like having a Swiss Army knife for software, one tool that adapts to every task. This allows a single software platform to spread across a variety of area reducing the need for as much cross training.

Real‑Time Execution

At the heart of TwinCAT 3 is its eXtended Automation Runtime (XAR), which guarantees precise timing and deterministic control:

• Hard real‑time: Millisecond‑level cycle times keep processes in sync.
• Modular design: Extend core functions with application‑specific modules.
• Side‑by‑side execution: Run your control logic alongside analytics, HMI, or database applications without missing a beat.

TwinCAT’s runtime is like a conductor ensuring every instrument plays perfectly on cue. The Hard real-time functionality is the same as with a standard PLC but with the additional add-ons of Modular designing and side-by-side execution with other systems.  

Modular & Scalable Features

TwinCAT 3 offers over a hundred specialized libraries and modules for motion, measurement, energy management, and more:

• Customizable toolset: Add only what you need today, and expand later.
• Platform‑independent HMI: Create responsive interfaces that work on PCs, tablets, and touch panels.

This flexibility means you avoid a one‑size‑fits‑all mess and can grow your system without a full redesign.

Testing & Measurement Integration

TwinCAT 3’s architecture lets you combine PLC control with advanced testing and measurement workflows, Matlab®, LabVIEW™, and more, without additional licensing costs. By isolating CPU cores in the eXtended Automation Runtime (XAR), you can run deterministic control loops alongside data acquisition and analysis routines, delivering equal or superior performance compared to standalone test benches.

• Matlab & Simulink® support: Import MATLAB scripts or Simulink models directly, and execute them natively within the TwinCAT runtime.
• LabVIEW interoperability: Exchange data via OPC UA or ADS, enabling LabVIEW to handle specialized signal processing and visualization tasks.
• Real‑time data logging: Capture high-resolution, time‑stamped data streams without impacting cycle times or control determinism.

This core‑isolation strategy maintains hard real‑time performance for your control functions while enabling rich testing modules on separate cores, streamlining hardware, preserving cost parity with pure PLC systems, and delivering a unified control‑plus‑testing platform. These systems can be integrated into automation in the form of EOL (End-Of-Line) test modules, allowing for high speed and repeatable automated testing for high grade product with minimal resources spent by a quality team.

Strengths:

• Unified toolchain minimizes training and speeds development.
• Hardware‑agnostic, from ARM controllers to many‑core CPUs.
• Modern workflows: Git integration, CI/CD, and agile practices.

Considerations:

• Steep initial learning curve, invest in training to unlock full potential.
• Modular licensing requires planning for the features you’ll need.

Why Partner with KIE Solution?

At KIE Solution, we understand that the best automation isn’t just about today, it’s about tomorrow, and the day after. We specialize in:

• Customized integration: Tailored TwinCAT projects that fit your unique workflows.
• Future‑proof design: Architect systems with upgrade paths for new modules, additional I/O, and evolving analytics.
• Onsite collaboration: Our engineers work side by side with your team to uncover challenges and optimize performance.
• Comprehensive support: From initial engineering to commissioning, training, and preventive maintenance through IntraVue Insight, we’re your long‑term partner.

Ready to transform your operation? Contact KIE Solution today to discuss your next automation project. Learn how KIE Solution can partner with you to build robust, upgrade-ready automation systems. We understand that developing and implementing new automation can be daunting. That’s why we take a whole-system approach—rather than just delivering a machine and walking away, we focus on how it integrates into your entire operation, ensuring you achieve the results you want at the speed you need.

While we’re strong advocates for the TwinCAT system and its many advantages, our team has experience working with a wide range of PLCs, including Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Keyence, and more. We’d love to learn about your unique operation and discuss how we can help meet your specific needs.

TwinCAT 3 unites coding, control, safety, and HMI into one powerful environment. With KIE Solution’s expertise, you’ll harness its full potential, driving efficiency, flexibility, and innovation in your facility.