News

Starting with firmware version 2020.0, PLCnext Control AXC F 2152 is now docker ready. That means it’s even easier to create, deploy, and run your PLCnext Technology applications.

For many years, the use of OCI containers (such as Docker or Balena) has revolutionized the IT landscape. They allow a much faster and easier reuse of existing or custom services. PLCnext Technology now combines these possibilities: the reliability of a control system, with the possibilities of modern software distribution. Create your own microservices, or use existing containers!

Learn more about the application and discuss with our specialists in the Community Forum. 

A guide showing how to install Balena Engine on an AXC F 2152 is available in Github. 

Read the latest MakersBlog entry which demonstrates how an OCI container can be used to easily turn a PLCnext Control into an AWS IoT Greengrass device.

The C++ Sample Runtime tutorial on Github has recently been updated to use firmware version 2020.0.

Other new features include:

• Reading Axioline diagnostics (part 3).
• The PLM component that creates variables for the OPC UA server has been simplified (part 10).
• Improvements to the sample application (part 7).
• How to pass command-line parameters to your runtime process (all steps).

We have already started working on the next version, so if you have any features you'd like us to demonstrate, or have any questions or comments, please let us know.

Are you wondering how to register in the PLCnext Store or how to download an app? You want to know how to create an app that you can then offer in the PLCnext Store?

In the PLCnext Store Info Center you will find all information about the PLCnext Store:

• The PLCnext Store Guide with almost everything you need to know when using the PLCnext Store.
• The PLCnext App Integration Guide with everything you need to know when you want to offer an app in the PLCnext Store.
• The PLCnext App Quality Guide which is an integral part of the Contributor Terms for the PLCnext Store.

...and much more information will follow soon!

At the end of last year, we held a hackathon together with the Start-Up Actyx. Here is what happend:

Every software developer should be able to easily program software for production: this is the credo of the Munich-based start-up company Actyx, which, in cooperation with SmartFactoryOWL, Fraunhofer IOSB-INA, PHOENIX CONTACT and Weidmüller, organized a hackathon in Lemgo on December 3 and 4. The aim was to re-program a modular production plant, in which the logical networking of the modules was programmed by means of a central superimposed programmable logic controller (PLC), using a decentralized approach. The modules are a pick-by-light assembly workstation, a collaborative robot and a conveyor belt system with RFID-equipped workpiece carriers.

Read more ...

As a C++ programmer, when updating to firmware 2020.0 LTS you need to update the Eclipse® Add-in as well. The new Add-in version requires Java version 9 or above, while Eclipse® only needs version 8. Here's how to update Java and set it for Eclipse as default.

Due to the fact, that oracle requires subsciption beginning with Java 8 you need to install and maintain later versions manually. You can find the instruction on https://openjdk.java.net/install/ the first instructon at the top. To get the packages we can recommend two pages:

https://jdk.java.net/13/
or
https://adoptopenjdk.net/

After installing the JDK version 9 or later, you have two options:

1. You can edit the eclipse.ini file, so that Eclipse is launched with the newer Java version.
   Instructions see here: https://www.matsim.org/docs/devguide/eclipse/jdk
2. You can set your system environment variable JAVA_HOME to the new JDK.
   Instructions see here: https://docs.opsgenie.com/docs/setting-java_home

After a year with three quarterly feature releases, we've published today our new version Firmware 2020.0 LTS with long-term support for the PLCnext Control AXC F 2152!

In this cumulative update, all previous features, functions, and fixes are integrated as well as some new features:

• Docker™ readiness
• Some improvements for the Real-time DataLogger
• Implementation of the “SysV IPC” Linux extension
• OpenSSL update to version 1.1.1 (which is recommended)
• Axioline Smart Elements support
• Some bugfixes - see Change Notes

There will be security updates and bugfixes for this LTS version throughout the next year. And there will be some feature releases available for those of you who are eager to develop faster and adopt early...

Don't hesitate and update your PLCnext Control AXC F 2152 to firmware 2020.0 LTS now, and don't miss the updated SDK and PLCnext CLI for your operation system, and the according PLCnext Engineer 2020.0 LTS.

Users with the need for higher performance will find their PLCnext Control RFC 4072S firmware here, next to their according SDK and PLCnext CLI for both operation systems.

Note: Updating the Eclipse® Add-in maybe requires updating your Java installation to version 9 or above. Since Eclipse® only requires Java v8, you might check this first. Linux users: find a brief description for updating to JDK v9 or later Updating Java to JDK version 9 for use with the Eclipse Add-in 2020.0 LTS.

A new API for Java is available to use Remote Service Calls (RSC) from remote or locally on a PLCnext Control. You will find all information how to use it in our PLCnext InfoCenter. The download package contains the libraries and their Javadocs.

An example application for a remote Java client using RSC will follow the next days in our Makers Blog. Looking forward to see your first applications using the API in the Makers Blog.