KPA Automation softPLC is a programming environment for developing PLC for real-time operation systems such as Linux, Xenomai, INtime or Windows. Focused on IEC 61131-3, KPA Automation softPLC technology is designed for all automation solutions, from machinery, controllers and drives manufacturers, to system integrators and machine builders. This technology is based on straton® PLC core and fulfils the 4 key requirements we apply to our products: Small, Smart, Simple and Speedy.
System compatibility
KPA Automation softPLC is a flexible, cross-platform and hardware-independent solution that can be integrated either on small platforms or on industrial PC platforms with or without operating systems.
Fieldbus configuration
KPA Automation softPLC includes an integrated fieldbus configuration tool for the following network I/Os and protocols:
- OPC UA
KPA Automation softPLC enables the creation and configuration of an OPC UA Server. It provides secure communication using digital certificates and data encryption. OPC UA Server also supports PubSub and file transfer functionalities.KPA Automation softPLC includes OPC UA Client, an OPC UA standard driver that allows to retrieve real-time values from OPC UA Servers to SCADA systems. OPC UA Client supports login and password authentication and monitors real-time data and events.
Moreover, KPA Automation softPLC supports the OPC Alarms and Events specification for the transmission of alarms and events. When variables are declared in KPA Automation softPLC, it is possible to create conditions at which a user will receive notifications about changes in the state of variables.
- Modbus
KPA Automation softPLC includes fully integrated Modbus master (a client) and slave (a server) functions used to enable Modbus communication via a serial link or Ethernet. - MQTT
KPA Automation softPLC provides support of MQTT, a lightweight publish/subscribe messaging protocol designed for M2M (machine to machine) telemetry in low bandwidth environments. It allows to send and receive data from the cloud. MQTT works on top of the TCP/IP protocol.At the core of MQTT are the MQTT broker and the MQTT client. The MQTT broker is a central server or middle ware that acts as an interface between publisher (a device that sends data to the broker) and subscriber (a device that receives data from the broker) and serves to collect the data from the publisher’s device and send it to the subscriber’s device.KPA Automation softPLC is used as the MQTT client that both publishes and subscribes messages.
- Shared Memory
KPA Automation softPLC includes a fully integrated configurator for virtual I/Os stored in a named memory space. - PROFINET
KPA Automation softPLC supports PROFINET RT (Real Time) which provides deterministic performance for automation applications in the 1-10 ms range. This software-based solution is ideal for typical I/O purposes related to motion control and high requirements.
Integration with EtherCAT and Motion control
- KPA EtherCAT Master to control EtherCAT network
- KPA EtherCAT Studio configuration and diagnostic tool
- KPA Motion Control to control single axis for point to point (P2P) according to PLCopen part 1, including gearing and camming options and 2D/3D coordinated motion according to PLCopen part 4
- Motion Configuration Utility to generate configuration files. CAM tables editor to create and simulation run motion with CAM tables
IEC61131-3 editors
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) industry standard IEC61131-3 defines the main programming languages used by developers to create applications for PLC:
- ST (Structured Text)
- IL (Instruction List)
- FBD (Function Block Diagram)
- SFC (Sequential Function Chart)
- LD (Ladder Diagram)
KPA Automation softPLC includes editors for ST, IL, FBD, SFC, LD programming languages, which provides advanced graphical features such as drag and drop for quick and easy element placement, syntax coloring and active tooltips for efficient input, keyboard shortcuts, object resizing, and other essential tools for building robust applications.
KPA Automation softPLC offers a program conversion option allowing an application to be translated into the chosen programming language in a few clicks.
Advanced debugging and monitoring tools
KPA Automation softPLC has a collection of features for making step by step debugging and includes a wizard that builds a monitoring application for the project.
SDK
SDK is the software development kit for creation of User Defined Function Blocks (UDFB). It allows developers to produce the required functionality for their specific devices without having any PLC programming experience, or to ease the integration of existing C/C++ functionality into PLC.
PLCopen compliance
koenig-pa GmbH is a member of PLCopen – the leading association providing efficiency in industrial automation. PLCopen and its members concentrate on following standard technical specifications aimed to reduce costs in industrial engineering.
KPA Automation Straton Addon
KPA Automation Straton Addon makes it possible to integrate EtherCAT functionality to an already installed straton®.
This software seamlessly adds KPA EtherCAT products – KPA EtherCAT Studio, KPA EtherCAT Master and KPA Motion Control Library – into existing straton® installation. Using KPA Automation Straton Addon extends straton® for PLC development with real-time EtherCAT fieldbus and support of small cycles on real-time operating systems. The KPA EtherCAT Studio configurator is used natively from the straton® IDE and provides scanning bus functionality, configuration and diagnostics of running PLC. For EtherCAT and Motion support at run-time recompilation is required to achieve native fieldbus and function blocks processing in PLC.
