Selecting a Software Programming Platform

Software development and testing comprises about half of the control system design and integration effort, so a programming platform that can ease and speed the process is vital. Such PC-based platforms are typically used to program a family of target programmable logic controllers (PLCs), with both the PLC hardware and the programming software provided by the same vendor. Since the programmer's expertise can vary widely, there are important considerations when evaluating software programming platforms including ease of use, embedded training, and easy configuration of features.