License types

TwinCAT 3 standard license

TwinCAT 3 standard licenses are tied to a unique system ID of a TwinCAT 3 license dongle (or IPC).

From TwinCAT 3.1 Build 4022 or higher, it is possible to downgrade a TwinCAT 3 standard license when using a TwinCAT 3 license dongle. The TwinCAT 3 license can therefore also be used for hardware platform levels that are lower than specified when activating the license.

TwinCAT 3 standard licenses are subject to a fee. The license price depends on the hardware platform level.

See also: Ordering of TwinCAT 3 standard licenses

Special TwinCAT 3 license types

TwinCAT 3 test license

Most TwinCAT 3 Runtime products can be activated in the TwinCAT 3 development environment as often as required free of charge for 7 days for testing purposes. This can be very useful for commissioning or servicing. The trial licenses allow you to run quick tests and bridge the time period until full licenses are available.

The TwinCAT 3 development environment is required to create a trial license. It is not possible to create a trial license in the TwinCAT 3 Runtime.

See also: TwinCAT 3 test license

TwinCAT 3 volume license

TwinCAT 3 volume licenses are linked to the so-called volume system ID of an IPC or TwinCAT 3 license dongle, which consists of a unique customer-specific volume ID for the volume license, the platform level of the IPC and the device type (IPC or TwinCAT 3 license dongle). The volume system ID is the same for all IPCs or TwinCAT 3 license dongles with a volume license and identical hardware platform level. TwinCAT 3 volume licenses are usually preactivated.

The aim of the volume licenses was to enable series machine builders with a large number of similar machines with identical TwinCAT 3 license configurations to use the volume licensing technology for easy handling of the licenses, since IPCs can be easily exchanged and licenses do not have to be activated by the user.

However, TwinCAT 3 license dongles now provide a much more flexible solution. Nowadays, a TwinCAT 3 volume license is therefore only useful in a few special cases.

See also: TwinCAT 3 volume license