PLC and NC as software devices
PLC and NC as devices in the form of software
Thanks to TwinCAT's system architecture, the individual parts of the software can be looked upon as representing independent devices, i.e. there is one software module (a "server" or a "client") for each task. The servers in the system are the working "devices" in the form of software which, as far as their operating behaviour is concerned, correspond to precisely one hardware device. Therefore, we can speak of "virtual" devices in the form of software. The "Clients" are programs that request services from the "Servers", e.g. a visualisation application or a "Programmer" in the form of a program. In this way, TwinCAT is able to grow by virtue of the fact that increasingly new servers and clients come into being for tasks such as the cam switching mechanism, the oscilloscope or the PID controller etc.
TwinCAT architecture
The TwinCAT system consists of servers (run time systems) for the real time execution of programs and the program parts for programming, analysis, and configuration of the system. All Windows programs, for example visualization applications or Office products, can access TwinCAT data or can control servers via Microsoft interfaces.
