An independent study conducted in April 2017 confirms the market-leading position of the IEC 61131-3 software CODESYS for the project engineering of automation tasks. The propagation of the tool can be explained by its extensive range of functions. It includes all necessary functions for performing classic control tasks. Numerous convenience and add-on functions facilitate the work of the automation specialist. Less well known is that CODESYS users can use it immediately for industry 4.0 applications as essential technologies are also integrated. At this year's SPS IPC Drives, the focus will be on these IIoT characteristics of CODESYS.

By implementing the CODESYS Control runtime system, device manufacturers can easily implement not only classic PLCs but also edge, fog, or cloud controllers. End users program these compatible devices with CODESYS – regardless of the network level in which they are located. For project engineering, end users can access methods that bridge from the IT world to automation technology. No matter whether controllers exchange data with each other or with the cloud – CODESYS offers numerous protocols and functions. Communication is established with proprietary protocols via standard interfaces such as Ethernet/CAN/serial, with standard web protocols or with fieldbuses, with OPC UA, as well as with special industrial protocols such as BACnet. The functional range of CODESYS also allows for the implementation of custom protocols in the IEC 61131-3 languages. If these are provided as free or paid libraries in the CODESYS Store, then they are available to all users. The proven library concept with online reloadability makes re-use very easy. Open interfaces in CODESYS even allow for the integration of software elements from the Internet via corresponding APIs such as Google Maps. Interfaces are also provided to other industrial systems such as Matlab®/Simulink and EPLAN. This makes it possible to embed seamlessly in available tool landscapes. And so that data exchange only takes place with the requested systems, CODESYS provides the user with proven security functions for reliable prevention of unauthorized access, data manipulation, or loss.