I know that most real project source code is proprietary and can’t be shared publicly — that makes perfect sense. Still, I’m wondering if anyone knows of a publicly available TwinCAT project from a real machine, or if someone would be willing to show a simplified/cleaned-up version of their own project (with company IP removed) to illustrate how OOP is applied in practice (including HMI SCADA integration).

Also — a related question: have you used the SPT framework from Beckhoff USA in your projects? If so, how did it fit into your OOP structure and workflow?

Before we migrated from Simulink-only solutions, to the Beckhoff ecosystem, the way we use to achieve UDP transmission was to go into our Simulink model workspace, drop a built-in "UDP Sender" block there:

... then connect its data input to "position" data. This block will take care of converting that data into UDP packets, and broadcasting them to the desired IP address (in this case to itself, hence "localhost" address).

But now, when we build that Simulink model into a Beckhoff TwinCAT object, the "UDP Sender" do not get code generated (as a C instance), and therefore it doesn't activate once that TC object is added into TwinCAT.

Essentially our question is: do you have any solution or suggestion for how we can realize a "UDP Sender" replacement in our Simulink model, that will still be streaming UDP packets when the model is running as an object in TwinCAT?

PS: We are not very comfortable programming PLC using IEC61131-3 languages like ST and FBD (we know TwinCAT provides a UDP FB_PeerToPeer and FB_SocketUdpSendTo Function Blocks). Rather, we prefer a bare-bone solution using only our "position" I/O output being read on an ADS channel for example (even if it comes to tweaking the Unity game itself). That being said, if there is absolutely no alternative but to code PLC logic, then we will have to jump into that exercise (in this project we have always managed to dodge coding in PLC languages thanks to Simulink TC Interface, but I guess there is a beginning for everything).

Basically what I have been seeing is this:

Packet A is put on the wire 100ms after previous packet

Packet B is put on the wire 150ms after packet A

Packet C is put on the wire 50ms after packet B

Developers can create apps, delivered as snaps, in the programming language of their choice, including C, C++, Python, Javascript or Go. Traditionally, developers were restricted to specialist programming languages like IEC 61131, or G-Code in an industrial setting. With Ubuntu Core and snaps, developers using the ctrlX AUTOMATION platform have the freedom to use either conventional programming languages or modern alternatives."

And then I came across this example where they control some axis from Python with ctrlX. Holy shit! You can use any programming language apparently. Communication is just done over an REST api and you have real-time capabilities 🤯. You are not even bound to Rexroth.

Also the interfaces Rexroth build look so easy to use. You don't even need to install any software. This can speed up development so much. Anyone already has experience with rel-time ubunti or ctrlX?

Increased Flexibility: OOP allows for the creation of reusable code, which can be easily adapted to changing requirements. This makes it easier to update and maintain industrial automation systems, reducing downtime and increasing efficiency. 

Improved Modularity: OOP allows for the separation of code into smaller, more manageable chunks. This makes it easier to test and debug industrial automation systems, and also allows for the use of different programming languages for different parts of the system. 

Enhanced Scalability: OOP allows for the creation of large, complex systems that can be easily scaled up or down as needed. This is essential for industrial automation systems that must handle a large amount of data and perform complex tasks.

Better Collaboration: OOP allows for the creation of clear and consistent code, which makes it easier for multiple programmers to work on the same industrial automation system. This improves collaboration and speeds up development. 

Object oriented PLC programming is essential for modern industrial automation systems. It offers increased flexibility, improved modularity, enhanced scalability, and better collaboration. According to various studies and surveys, companies that use OOP in their industrial automation systems experience significant benefits such as reduction in downtime, improved scalability, better collaboration and improved modularity. By learning object oriented PLC programming, industrial automation professionals can stay ahead of the curve and create more efficient systems.

Some articles and posts regarding this topic: 

"A Model Driven Approach on Object Oriented PLC Programming for Manufacturing Systems with regard to Usability"

Object Oriented Industrial Programming

Leverage object-oriented industrial programming

Object-oriented models for advanced automation engineering

Developing control logic using aspect-oriented programming and sequence planning

Object Oriented Development in an Industrial Environment

Object-Oriented Programming in Automation

What are your perspectives and experiences on this subject?

During text entry, type Windows logo key  + . (period). The emoji keyboard will appear.