At Outlier Automation, I lead programming and design for advanced industrial equipment, usually involving a mixture of robotics, precision movement and tightly built-in automation. Over the previous few years, I’ve seen a transparent shift from main automation distributors. Extra of them are starting to supply robotic kinematics or programming straight inside the principle machine PLC as an alternative of counting on a separate robotic controller.
Although this transformation might seem refined, it represents an necessary evolution in how automated programs might be conceived and constructed. By shifting robotic management extra tightly into the PLC, machines can develop into extra succesful and versatile.Â
This strategy additionally has the potential to be more economical for producers. It may possibly reshape how integrators architect movement programs and the way finish customers keep and scale their tools.
Why this shift is occurring
Conventional robotic controllers introduce complexity producers don’t all the time see upfront. They require separate programming environments, separate diagnostic workflows and sometimes separate employee skillsets to keep up. Â These variations can go away robots handled as standalone subsystems, though tighter integration may make machines extra highly effective.
Trendy industrial CPUs and real-time working programs are actually highly effective sufficient to deal with the calculations that after required proprietary {hardware} and software program. Â
