There is something to be said about industrial technology that can stand the test of time. While many introductions have come and gone, TwinCAT has evolved to meet the needs of customers – even decades later.
TwinCAT (The Windows Control and Automation Technology) is an integrated development environment from Beckhoff Automation that turns almost any PC-based system into a real-time controller with multi-PLC functionality, NC/CNC, robotics and HMI capabilities.
With integration options available for C++, MATLAB and more, it is widely used in industrial automation for machine control, robotics and system integration, providing a unified environment for PLC, motion control and HMI development.
The evolution of the TwinCAT software – and revolutionary industrial automation breakthroughs in general – is shaped under constant tension. There’s always a need for more – more flexibility, more performance gains and greater reliability.
As a result, some systems cannot keep up. TwinCAT, however, was a unique product of its time in that it was built with the future in mind. Hans Beckhoff made the decision to utilise PC-based hardware and to complement it with a hard real-time deterministic runtime called TwinCAT 2. He knew that PC technology would improve greatly, so by directly using this technology, TwinCAT (and all its modules) would also benefit from the continuous performance gain.
Today TwinCAT’s evolution from TwinCAT 2 to TwinCAT 3 reflects the broader transformation of modern industry.
Understanding the evolution of TwinCAT
TwinCAT 2, first introduced in 1996, was already ahead of its time. TwinCAT 2 delivered performance and flexibility that traditional controllers struggled to match. This approach anticipated a long-term trend in which PC hardware would continue to improve year on year, and by building on that foundation, TwinCAT would automatically inherit those gains.
Faster CPUs, better memory and improved architectures all translated into better control performance without requiring a reinvention of the platform.
Fast-forward to the year of Y2K and TwinCAT 3 was born – a software platform that has since developed over time, to meet even the needs of today’s modern businesses. The transition to TwinCAT 3 marked a major leap forward. With support for multi-core processors and integration into Microsoft Visual Studio, the platform aligned itself with mainstream software engineering practices. For engineering teams, this was more than a convenience, it meant working in a trusted, familiar development environment, bridging the gap between IT and OT.
Beckhoff’s ‘free development environment’ is also rather unique to the industry. Almost all the tools a developer needs are completely free to use – from PLC programming, motion design and computer vision, to HMI development and machine learning. All of this can be downloaded and installed by simply signing up to the MyBeckhoff portal.
Reducing the barrier to entry is central to the widespread adoption of popular software tools such as TwinCAT. Over the last few years, we have seen significant growth – and uptake – among our customers in Australia. We see the real value that TwinCAT delivers at a business level and so do they.
Getting started – practical how-tos
Getting started with TwinCAT often comes from a need for a consistent, scalable platform. Prior to Beckhoff, I was a machine designer OEM, and I was always looking for ways to have a common platform which could be applied to all types of solutions – from simple conveyors to multi-servo installations.
For newcomers, I suggest formal training via Beckhoff – either in-person or online. We offer paid courses which the customer can either do online at their own pace or in-person. We host monthly sessions in various parts of the country. These courses will help you pick up some tricks that make the program far easier to understand.
TwinCAT supports all the major industrial languages, so if you are confident with Ladder, Function Block Diagram or Structured Text, then you will be writing code and deploying it to controllers in no time.
On coding best practices, it is best to keep it simple. Don’t make variables too hard to read. Reduce the mental load when reading code. It is advised to avoid Hungarian notation, limit abbreviations and structure code logically.
Tips to get the most out of TwinCAT
Here are a few key tips to get the most out of TwinCAT:
- Download the TwinCAT Package Manager and install TwinCAT XAE.
- Book into a local TwinCAT training course to get the basics (and foundation) right. These sessions are in fact useful for users of all levels.
- Code and deploy locally. The best way to learn is to ‘do’. TwinCAT runs locally, and you can try everything using our free trial license.
- Understand the importance of EtherCAT. TwinCAT provides a modular, real-time, deterministic runtime, which can perform almost any task. When you couple this with the fast, real-time, deterministic advantages of EtherCAT then the design possibilities are endless.
TwinCAT’s evolution is ultimately about making industrial automation more practical, scalable and accessible for engineers. Success comes down to using the right tools, keeping code clear, and building on proven best practices.
With free development tools, strong language support and real-time performance through EtherCAT, TwinCAT provides a flexible foundation.
