How to simplify PLC, control device management with Git version control, auto-backup

Automation version control, backup insights

• Seeing how Git version control can benefit industrial automation applications is easier by seeing a live demonstration.
• Modern DevOps methods, workflow practices adopted for software development and IT operations, can streamline workflows and improve productivity for automation and controls applications.

Some industrial automation professionals are harnessing the power of modern DevOps solutions (workflow practices adopted for software development and IT operations) that are the standard for traditional software development. Unlocking Git version control for PLCs and control devices means all projects and code changes are tracked and securely stored so the latest version of code is easily identified. Information below previews some of the information in the webcast, “Simplifying PLC and Control Device Management with Git Version Control and Auto-Backup.”

Webcast presenters in the webcast, 1 p.m. on April 25 and archived for a year thereafter, are Matt Lee, co-founder and vice president of business development, and Vaughn Varma, technical marketing manager, both with Copia Automation. A certificate of completion and download of the presentation are available for attending, along with opportunity to ask questions, for registrants listening live on April 25. They cite a Forrester report on Git that says its use reduces onboarding and training by 40%, while 85% of survey respondents say Git helps them to write and deploy better code. Also, developer satisfaction increased.

Improve capabilities of existing control system programming workflow

Lee and Varma explain how non-text-based languages like ladder logic, structured text (ST) and function block (FB) diagram can be visualized with changes highlighted in a browser, which gives reviewers information more quickly. Such tools can be used for monitoring and managing machinery in production, ensuring the project on record aligns with the machine state. The webcast also provides an introduction to Git version control and describes benefits for industrial automation. Software functions like these can work alongside the current automation or operations environment to streamline workflows, increasing productivity, efficiency and quality.

Learning objectives for the webcast are to:

• Understand Git version control through a live demonstration.

• See how Git version control benefits industrial automation.

• Learn how to use the power of modern DevOps solutions to streamline workflows and improve productivity.

Versioning, backup benefits for industrial programming workflow

Use of software can help with PLCs and other industrial controller device programming versioning and backups from Rockwell Automation, Siemens, Fanuc and Beckhoff along with vendor PLCs that use the CODESYS programming platform.

Lee and Varma explain eight common issues Git can resolve for those working with automation device programming.

1. Lose code or use a backup that was too old

2. Search endlessly for code to reuse

3. Maintain multiple versions of a file

4. Have difficulty seeing the difference between versions

5. Cannot quickly share code

6. Work off of a version that was outdated

7. Don’t know who changed what, when, and why

8. Have trouble scaling teams.

By having multiple engineers work on a project more efficiently, talent can be used where needed the most while working on the same code base.

Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media, mhoske@cfemedia.com.

KEYWORDS: Industrial automation programming, PLC programming efficiency

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