The tables below contain an overview about Phoenix Contact´s current schedule in terms of further developments and enhancements for PLCnext Technology.
They are categorized by component types and functionalities.
Please check back regularly to keep up with the development progress.
Firmware Release Strategy:
The PLCnext Technology Ecosystem (PLCnext Controls, PLCnext Engineer and PLCnext Store) will continue to develop very dynamically in the next years.
Therefore we decided to release every year in total four PLCnext Control Firmware and PLCnext Engineer versions.
In the beginning of every year we will come up with a Long Term Support firmware (LTS) version. This version is permanently supplied with bugfixes.
Each quarter follows a new version with additional features, which will also be included in the next LTS version.
This gives you the possibility to develop your application or app always with the latest versions and to enjoy new features first!
| Version name | Release date |
|---|---|
| PLCnext Engineer 2019.0 LTS | Feb. 20th, 2019 |
| PLCnext Engineer 2019.3 | end of March, 2019 |
| PLCnext Engineer 2019.6 | end of June, 2019 |
| PLCnext Engineer 2019.9 | end of September, 2019 |
| PLCnext Engineer 2020.0 | end of November, 2019 |
Latest Update:
February, 2019
Outlook: Top 10 Features until end of 2019
Find in the list below our top 10 features, planned to be implemented during 2019.
- Linux Packet Manager with PLCnext Technology Repository
- Device and Security Patch Management
- Enhanced Microsoft® Visual Studio® Extensions (PLCnext Technology real-time C++ and C# programs)
- Profinet Redundancy Layer (SRL) and MRP Client support
- AXC F 2152 with configurable Ethernet ports X1/X2 (switched or independent MACs)
- Enhanced web-based diagnostic
- Download change (IEC 61131-3)
- OPC UA Historical Access
- Ethernet IP™ (Adapter Class)
- EtherCat™ Master
Overview
Operating System
| Firmware 1.2 | Firmware 2019.0 LTS | Firmware 2019.3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux Kernel | 4.9 LTS | 4.14 LTS | 4.14 LTS |
| OSADL Preempt real-time patch | implemented | implemented | implemented |
| NTP | implemented | ntpd & ntp-utils added | ntpd & ntp-utils added |
| Debian™ Packet Manager (dpkg) | - | Basic support | Basic support |
PLCnext Store
| Firmware 1.2 | Firmware 2019.0 LTS | Firmware 2019.3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solution Apps | - | implemented | implemented |
| Function Extension Apps | - | - | implemented |
Security
| Firmware 1.2 | Firmware 2019.0 LTS | Firmware 2019.3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remote SSL connection | implemented | implemented | implemented |
| User Management - predefined roles | implemented | implemented | implemented |
| Firewall | nftables | nftables; configuration via WBM |
nftables; configuration via WBM |
VPN | OpenVPN® | OpenVPN® | OpenVPN® |
| IPSec | StrongSwan® | StrongSwan® | StrongSwan® |
| Trust & Identity Store | - | implemented; configuration via WBM | implemented; configuration via WBM |
| TLS Sockets | - | implemented | implemented |
Diagnostic
| Firmware 1.2 | Firmware 2019.0 LTS | Firmware 2019.3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| General diagnostic log | implemented | implemented | implemented |
| Diagnostic view in PLCnext Engineer | - | implemented | implemented |
| WBM - PLC state | implemented | implemented | implemented |
| WBM - Profinet device list | - | implemented | implemented |
Real-Time - Execution & Synchronisation Manager
Tasks
| Firmware 1.2 | Firmware 2019.0 LTS | Firmware 2019.3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Default / Idle | implemented | implemented | implemented |
| Cyclic | implemented | implemented | implemented |
| System Event Tasks (e.g. System Events & Exceptions) |
- | implemented | implemented |
| Task-synchronous Axioline IO update* | - | implemented | implemented |
* Only supported from PLCnext Controls with Axioline localbus (e.g. AXC F 2152)
IEC 61131-3
For more details please refer to the PLCnext Engineer roadmap.
| Firmware 1.2 | Firmware 2019.0 LTS | Firmware 2019.3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering Tool | PC Worx Engineer 7.2.x | PLCnext Engineer 2019.0 LTS | PLCnext Engineer 2019.0 LTS and 2019.3 |
| Download changes | - | implemented | implemented |
| AX_Control (Axioline firmware commands)* | - | implemented | implemented |
| IB_Control (Interbus firmware commands)** | - | implemented | implemented |
| Profinet RDREC & WRREC | implemented | implemented | implemented |
| Profinet Alarm & AR Management | - | implemented | implemented |
| TLS Sockets | - | implemented | implemented |
* Only supported from PLCnext Controls with Axioline localbus (e.g. AXC F 2152)
** Inline localbus support by additional AXL F IL ADAPT (Article No. 1020304)
Real-Time C++
| Firmware 1.2 | Firmware 2019.0 LTS | Firmware 2019.3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real-Time C++ programs | implemented | implemented | implemented |
| Call of RSC services | implemented | implemented | implemented |
| Threads | - | implemented | implemented |
| Retain memory access | IEC 61131-3 only | implemented | implemented |
| Axioline RSC services | - | implemented | implemented |
| Interbus RSC services | - | implemented | implemented |
| Profinet RSC services | - | implemented | implemented |
| TLS Sockets | - | implemented | implemented |
Real-Time C
The C# real-time implementation does not support all .Net Framework™ classes, please find a complete list of supported classes in the PLCnext Technology User Manual.
For more details please refer to the C# for PLCnext technology roadmap.
| Firmware 1.2 | Firmware 2019.0 LTS | Firmware 2019.3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real-Time C# Functions | implemented | implemented | implemented |
| Real-Time C# Function blocks | implemented | implemented | implemented |
| Real-Time C# Programs* | - | implemented* | implemented* |
* C# real-time programs can not be included to a PLCnext Engineer project, but can be executed by manual ESM/GDS configuration; please contact your local support team for details.
Simulink®
| Firmware 1.2 | Firmware 2019.0 LTS | Firmware 2019.3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PC Worx Target for Simulink | 1.30 and 1.31 | 1.40 | 1.40 |
| PC Worx Target for Simulink - Programs | implemented | implemented | implemented |
| PC Worx Target for Simulink - Function blocks | - | implemented | implemented |
| PLCnext Engineer - Model Viewer* | - | implemented* | implemented* |
* Supported with "PC Worx Target for Simulink" v1.40 and PLCnext Engineer >= 2019.0 LTS
OPC UA server
| Firmware 1.2 | Firmware 2019.0 LTS | Firmware 2019.3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Access - Primitive datatypes | implemented | implemented | implemented |
| Data Access - Arrays and Structs | - | implemented | implemented |
| Data Access - PLC status information | - | implemented | implemented |
| Alarm & Condition - Send Alarms | - | implemented | implemented |
| Alarm & Condition - Enable/Disable Alarms | - | implemented | implemented |
| Alarm & Condition - Confirm alarms | - | implemented | implemented |
| Alarm & Condition - Acknowledge alarms | - | implemented | implemented |
| File Transfer - Access directories and files | - | implemented | implemented |
| File Transfer - Open, read, write, seek and close files | - | implemented | implemented |
| Support of GDS-Push Certificate Management | - | implemented | implemented |
Web Server
| Firmware 1.2 | Firmware 2019.0 LTS | Firmware 2019.3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| HTML5 | implemented | implemented | implemented |
| Support of PLCnext Engineer HMI | implemented | implemented | implemented |
| REST Interface* - Access GDS | - | implemented | implemented |
| Firmware update via Web-based management | - | implemented | implemented |
* Available on request
Supported Browsers
| Firmware 1.2 | Firmware 2019.0 LTS | Firmware 2019.3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firefox™ | 62.03 | 62.03 | 62.03 |
| Chrome™ | 68 | 68 | 68 |
| Internet Explorer™ | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Safari™ | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Opera™ | 56 | 56 | 56 |
Notification Manager and Logger
First implemented in Firmware 2019.0 LTS.
| Firmware 2019.0 LTS | Firmware 2019.3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Register, send and receive notifications (C++) | implemented | implemented |
| Log notifications (SQLlite DB) | implemented | implemented |
| View notifications with PLCnext Engineer cockpit | implemented | implemented |
Trace Controller
| Firmware 1.2 | Firmware 2019.0 LTS | Firmware 2019.3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| LTTnG | implemented | implemented | implemented |
| User Tracepoints | - | implemented (C++ and Matlab Simulink) |
implemented (C++ and Matlab Simulink) |