I began my position with Phoenix Contact in October of 2023, and have been working with their general product line since then. Specifically, I work with their PLCnext and mGuard services to provide and serve cutting edge applications within the industrial automation world.

PLCnext:

I have been working closely with the Axioline controller series and PLCnext applications for about a year and a half. What’s most interesting to me with where PLCs are headed is that slowly the ecosystem is moving away from proprietary hardware/systems and is moving towards a more open ecosystem. PLCnext is an attempt to modernize PLC controls by putting IEC 61131-3 controls inside of a Linux operating system. This allows more complex IoT languages like OPC UA to be used with the ability to directly interface with ladder logic and structured text, as well as providing an API for higher level languages like C++ the ability to interact with this environment as well. I have been enjoying working in this environment and am excited for where this technology is headed next.

Skills required:

Networking, Programming, Ladder Logic, Structured Text, Linux, OPC UA, C++, et cetera.

mGuard:

Secure remote access to onsite locations is what mGuard services specialize in. In this context I provide knowledge of how Phoenix Contact’s networking services work to resolve issues of connectivity. These issues can range from the simple misconfiguration of a device to the complex understanding of routing through multiple layers of IT infrastructure to reach the machine network the mGuard device establishes. This is a great service for managed service providers and manufacturers alike, enabling qualified personnel to reduce travel time and achieve better project velocity.

Skills required:

Networking, Linux, Firewall, DNS, VLAN, DHCP, et cetera.

More information coming soon!