At the heart of most industrial control and factory, industrialization systems is a programmable logic controller(PLC). Commonly referred to as the “brain” of a factory, a PLC controls a wide range of functions by receiving and processing data from sensors and machines. It then uses this data to control and actuate external devices.

Because it’s used in industrial applications, a PLC must be strong. What’s more, a successful design must offer reliability, system stability and 100% interoperability with connected automation systems. Additional factors to consider when engineering a PLC include time to market, space limitations and the high demand for components with a good price-quality ratio.