Interview 18 November 2022
“The Key to Openness”

WAGO integrates its manufacturer-independent CODESYS V3 automation software into the engineering process. Dr. Sven Kreft, Head of the Software Product Line, highlights the reasons and the benefits for customers.

Why is WAGO integrating CODESYS V3 into its automation engineering?

Dr. Sven Kreft: We place open standards at the center of our business because we believe that our customers – as well as ourselves – cannot develop everything alone. We are convinced that the future lies in strong partnerships and co-creation. Active communities and complementary partners ensure that the wheel does not always have to be reinvented and that a large number of individualized solutions are created that customers need due to increasing complexity. Open standards are the basis for this, which is why we are open for CODESYS V3.

How does CODESYS V3 contribute to openness, which characterizes WAGO's automation solutions?

Dr. Sven Kreft: IEC 61131 is the open standard for programming real-time capable industrial controllers – it is mature, established, and widely used. CODESYS V3 is the standard for IEC 61131 development; many thousands of application developers use CODESYS. Additionally, more than a thousand different industrial controllers and panels are supported independently of the manufacturers. These are the keys to openness.

The possibilities, the willingness and ultimately also the chances for co-creation are increasing almost daily. We are certain that we have chosen the right platform with CODESYS V3.

Dr. Sven Kreft, Head of Product Line Software

What does the customer get from CODESYS V3?

Dr. Sven Kreft: The possibilities, the willingness and ultimately also the chances for co-creation are increasing almost daily. We are certain that we have chosen the right platform with CODESYS V3. First, the system has been on the market for a long time, and it offers the functions and technologies used for modern automation today. Secondly, CODESYS has proven time and again that the system is kept absolutely up-to-date. Third, vendor independence and interoperability create new opportunities for our customers.

The new WAGO Compact Controller 100 will be the first WAGO product available with CODESYS V3. Why this device?

Dr. Sven Kreft: With the WAGO Compact Controller 100, we offer a small controller with integrated I/Os. This controller is attractive for a wide range of applications because it is inexpensive, powerful and compact. The engineering of CODESYS fits these characteristics perfectly; therefore, we decided to offer the WAGO Compact Controller 100 with CODESYS.

Can customers who have already invested in e!COCKPIT also use CODESYS V3?

Dr. Sven Kreft: Yes, of course! Both systems are based on the same platform; programming and compiling IEC 61131 programs work the same. For example, all the libraries available under e!COCKPIT remain available.

Engineering with CODESYS V3: WAGO Compact Controller 100

WAGO is opening up to CODESYS V3 and will offer controllers with manufacturer-independent automation software in the future. The first new device in the 751 Series, the new WAGO Compact Controller 100, will be available this September. The small controller is perfectly suited for engineering with CODESYS V3 because it is inexpensive, powerful, compact, and thus versatile. Like all WAGO controllers, it operates with a real-time Linux® operating system and supports standard fieldbus protocols. Thanks to integrated I/Os and its design as a rail-mounted device, as well as its removable wiring interface, it can also be mounted in a space-saving manner and is easy to handle. In short: the perfect addition to the WAGO controller portfolio.

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