Supported Hardware Standards and Custom Platforms:

X86: INTEL

ARM: RK3568/RK3588/TI/NXP/Raspberry Pi/Allwinner T3/A40i, etc.

A while ago, I shared about Schneider Electric's first EtherCAT-bus-enabled motion controller developed with CODESYS, the CODESYS+EtherCAT+X86 hardware platform: the standard for high-performance motion control.

My first encounter with CODESYS was over a decade ago when I used Beckhoff controllers. Later, around 2015, I gradually came across some domestic controllers developed with CODESYS. To be honest, at that time, there weren't many stable domestic controllers based on the CODESYS platform available.

In the past two years, motion controllers based on the CODESYS+EtherCAT+X86 hardware platform have been emerging like mushrooms after rain. Especially with the adoption of X86 industrial PCs, the hardware capabilities of different manufacturers are not significantly different. The main difference in user experience comes from the secondary development (HMI/SCADA application development) by the controller manufacturers. Below is a rundown of the brands I've encountered and used:

I. Inovance Technology: AC800 Series, a well-deserved leader among domestic brands. This series can directly compete head-to-head with Beckhoff and Omron NJ in the photovoltaic and lithium battery industries. My personal highlight is: the integrated industry-specific process libraries. Although these libraries are essentially for the HMI/SCADA, they are packaged very practically.

The AC800 high-performance intelligent machine controller is a high-performance multi-axis motion controller based on the Intel X86 processor hardware platform, compliant with PLCopen standards. It uses EtherCAT as its bus, enabling multi-axis servo control, and is particularly suitable for controlling high-speed production equipment and large-scale machinery in advanced manufacturing.

II. XINJE Electric: Once the king of domestic small PLCs. With the advent of Siemens Smart200 and the efforts of other domestic manufacturers, its market share in small PLCs sharply declined. In the past two years, we've seen a series of controllers based on the CODESYS platform released, rekindling hopes of its return to dominance. Currently, the XSA series of high-end motion controllers based on the X86 platform shows significant improvements in performance and stability compared to previous products, making them highly anticipated.

III. Leadshine Technology: A leader in domestic general-purpose stepper motors. After going public, it gradually focused on control layer products. Its original motion control card solutions have been largely abandoned, and it has released numerous products based on the CODESYS platform, with no fewer than 4-5 controller models in my recollection. Currently, the LC5000 series is its highest-end offering:

The LC5000 series intelligent production line controller is an EtherCAT bus-based motion controller launched by Leadshine for advanced manufacturing. It is based on the X86+CODESYS motion control platform. Featuring an all-metal body, it provides abundant network interfaces to meet the expansion needs of various projects. Equipped with a Core i5 CPU, it offers excellent computing power and boasts powerful motion control performance for up to 256 axes. With up to 8GB of DDR4 memory and a 64GB SSD built-in, it is highly suitable for high-load computing and entire factory line control applications.

IV. Delta: A veteran Taiwanese automation manufacturer. From my earliest encounters with their VF series inverters to their later small PLC products, they faced some challenges in the mainland market due to the impact from Inovance. In recent years, they have accelerated new product R&D, and the competitiveness of their updated products has significantly improved; products based on the CODESYS motion control platform, in particular, have shown outstanding performance:

The PC-Based high-end motion controller AX-8 series, combined with the CODESYS motion control platform, allows for easy editing of complex motion control programs. It supports the EtherCAT communication protocol and has built-in communication protocols such as Ethernet, OPC UA, EIP, and Modbus. This enables seamless, bottom-up integration with the upper management layer, meeting the smart manufacturing market's demands for high-end motion control applications.

In terms of axis control, the AX8 also surpasses other Delta motion controllers. The AX8's real axis count is available in three models: 16 axes, 32 axes, and 64 axes and above. The most powerful model, 64 axes and above (i.e., AX864E), can support up to 256 real axes. The theoretical number of virtual axes for all three versions can reach 65535. This ample number of available axes provides rich solutions for various high-end motion applications.