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CODESYS, a global expert in hardware-independent industrial automation software, is proud to highlight the Virtual Control SL, an IEC 61131-3-compatible virtual PLC runtime designed to give manufacturers greater hardware independence and flexibility in industrial automation. The containerized runtime can be installed on suitable computing architectures as often as required, with scalable performance that can be adapted to the needs of each application.
CODESYS Virtual Control SL provides the familiar features of CODESYS in a virtual control environment. Applications are programmed in the CODESYS Development System using IEC 61131-3 languages, allowing engineers to continue working with established programming tools and workflows. Existing CODESYS projects can also be reused on virtual PLCs by simply switching the device description, helping reduce migration effort and protect existing engineering investments.
The performance of each virtual controller is scaled through its license. Depending on the application, users can deploy the controller capability required for compact control, motion control, or high-performance PLC applications. This approach provides the appropriate control performance for each task and enables users to expand control capacity without being limited to a fixed physical PLC configuration.
CODESYS Virtual Control SL can be deployed on industrial PCs, edge devices, or servers running Linux, including platforms such as RHEL and Debian, with a PREEMPT_RT real-time patch where required for the application. Support for container technologies such as Podman and Docker gives users flexibility in selecting the computing architecture and container environment best suited to their automation requirements.
Users can deploy or orchestrate the required number of virtual PLCs through Linux commands or scripts and using tools such as Kubernetes and OpenShift. An integrated add-on for the CODESYS Development System provides a deployment option tailored to automation engineers, making it possible to set up and delete virtual PLCs without requiring extensive Linux knowledge. These options support flexible orchestration and enable control resources to be managed according to changing application requirements.
By replacing multiple physical PLCs with virtual PLC instances, CODESYS Virtual Control SL can reduce hardware procurement, wiring, operating, and maintenance requirements. Its software-based control architecture can also reduce the space required for conventional control hardware. A central hardware platform can execute several virtual PLCs, helping consolidate control functions and reduce dependence on separate physical PLC units.
Fieldbus I/Os can be accessed through Industrial Ethernet and configured in the CODESYS Development System as with a conventional PLC. When required, high-performance Virtual LAN technology can virtualize the Ethernet port for different protocols. This provides flexible communication options while allowing I/O connections to be handled through the industrial network rather than through a traditional PLC-local arrangement.
The distributed virtual-control architecture supports reliability by design by assigning tasks to several independent control instances with powerful interconnection between them. At the same time, software-based functional expansion allows new machine functions to be implemented without necessarily adding new hardware. Control capacity can therefore be increased by scaling the virtual environment rather than replacing or adding dedicated PLC hardware.
Centralized maintenance and servicing can simplify the management of virtual control systems through IT system technologies. Central application updates can also make it easier to maintain the control environment. In addition, central hardware executing several virtual PLCs can help reduce downtime and support higher availability by consolidating control functions on a central platform.
By combining familiar CODESYS engineering with containerized deployment, license-based performance scaling, Industrial Ethernet connectivity, flexible orchestration, centralized maintenance, and software-based expansion, CODESYS Virtual Control SL gives manufacturers a practical path to modernize control architectures while retaining established automation-development workflows.
