Features of PLCnext Technology

In this topic you see the current features and the firmware release with which they have been implemented. For a sneak peek into our further development and current activities on key parts of the PLCnext Technology ecosystem, see the Development roadmap.

For a comparison of feature implementation on the different PLCnext Control devices, see the PLCnext Control features as well as Extensions and SD cards. For an overview of feature support in the PLCnext Engineer software suite, see PLCnext Engineer features.

Latest update: July 19th, 2024

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PLCnext Linux Operating system

Firmware version 2019.0
LTS
2020.0
LTS
2021.0
LTS
2022.0
LTS
2022.3 2022.6 2022.9 2023.0
LTS
2023.3 2023.6 2023.9 2024.0
LTS
2024.6
Linux® kernel 4.14 LTS 4.14 LTS 4.14 LTS 5.4 LTS 5.4 LTS 5.4 LTS 5.4 LTS 5.4 LTS 5.4 LTS 5.4 LTS 5.4 LTS 5.4 LTS 5.4 LTS
OSADL real-time Linux® services,
based on the PREEMPT_RT patches of the Linux® kernel
Network Time Protocol (NTP)
Trace Controller (based on LTTng)
Performance enhancement - optimized✔ kernel setting
Docker® ready (support for OCI containers)

PROFINET and EtherNet/IP™ - industrial real-time Ethernet

Firmware version 2019.0
LTS
2020.0
LTS
2021.0
LTS
2022.0
LTS
2022.3 2022.6 2022.9 2023.0
LTS
2023.3 2023.6 2023.9 2024.0
LTS
2024.6
PROFINET specification compliant 2.3 2.3 2.41 2.41 2.41 2.41 2.41 2.42 2.42 2.42 2.42 2.42 2.42
PROFINET Controller 
PROFINET Controller supports Fast Start-up (FSU)
PROFINET Device
PROFINET Device –
adaptive process data width
(depends on the PLCnext Engineer 
release 2023.0 LTS or newer)
 ✔  ✔  ✔  ✔  ✔
Media Redundancy Protocol (MRP) - Client
LLDP compliant
PROFINET System Redundancy Layer✔ (SRL)
EtherNet/IP™ Device

PLCnext Store interface

Firmware version 2019.0
LTS
2020.0
LTS
2021.0
LTS
2022.0
LTS
2022.3 2022.6 2022.9 2023.0
LTS
2023.3 2023.6 2023.9 2024.0
LTS
2024.6
Solution Apps
Function Extension Apps
License Mechanism for Apps (Copy protection)
PLCnext App offline installation 

Industrial Cyber Security

Firmware version 2019.0
LTS
2020.0
LTS
2021.0
LTS
2022.0
LTS
2022.3 2022.6 2022.9 2023.0
LTS
2023.3 2023.6 2023.9 2024.0
LTS
2024.6
Remote SSL connection
User Management - predefined roles
Firewall (nftables)
VPN (OpenVPN®)
IPsec (StrongSwan®)
Trust & Identity Store
TLS Sockets
Usage of the SD card can be configured and disabled
LDAPS user authentication
Firmware update via proficloud.io 
Security certification according to IEC 62443-4-1 / IEC 62443-4-2 with active security profile(depends on LTS releases)
(AXC F x152 
only)
 –  –  –
(AXC F x152,
 RFC 4072S,
BPC 9102S)
 –  –  –
(AXC F x152,
 RFC 4072S
BPC 9102S)
Integrity check for PLCnext Engineer projects (first step)

Web-based Management (WBM) on PLC

Firmware version 2019.0
LTS
2020.0
LTS
2021.0
LTS
2022.0
LTS
2022.3 2022.6 2022.9 2023.0
LTS
2023.3 2023.6 2023.9 2024.0
LTS
2024.6
Login authentication
User management
LDAPS configuration
PLC state
Firewall configuration
Certificate management (Trust and Identity Store)
Proficloud client settings
Firmware update
PROFINET Device list
PROFINET Device tree view
Local bus device list (Inline/Axioline)
Local bus diagnostics (Inline/Axioline)
Local bus device details (Axioline)
Status view for external SD Card
PLCnext App installations overview
PLCnext App status
PLCnext App offline installation
View and download system✔ notifications 
Status information regarding Ethernet interfaces 
Configure an HTTPS certificate for nginx web server
Configure IP settings 
Enable/disable System Services 
Security profiles - AXC F x152 series
Configure NTP client
Configure Syslog
Diagnosis - Integrated UPS 
(only with AXC F 3152 and 
RFC 4072S in their respective firmware releases; there was no 2022.9 release for these devices)
Configure Netload Limiter, show status information
Cockpit page

Global Data Space (GDS)

Firmware version 2019.0
LTS
2020.0
LTS
2021.0
LTS
2022.0
LTS
2022.3 2022.6 2022.9 2023.0
LTS
2023.3 2023.6 2023.9 2024.0
LTS
2024.6
Extended Retain Handling
Backup and restore retain values 
OctetString GDS connector✔

Real-time tasks

Firmware version 2019.0
LTS
2020.0
LTS
2021.0
LTS
2022.0
LTS
2022.3 2022.6 2022.9 2023.0
LTS
2023.3 2023.6 2023.9 2024.0
LTS
2024.6
Default / Idle
Cyclic
System event tasks (e.g. system events & exceptions)
User Event tasks (by means of the C++ API)
Task-synchronous Axioline I/O update
(only supported by PLCnext Control devices with Axioline local bus (e.g. AXC F 2152, AXC F 3152), see Product range)
Real-time enhancement -
optimized jitter by using ≥ 1ms task

Real-time IEC 61131‑3 languages programming

Refer also to the PLCnext Engineer features overview since that is the preferable tool for IEC 61131‑3 languages programming in PLCnext Technology context.

Note: PLCnext Engineer releases are in general compatible with all firmware releases. But new features depend on a PLCnext Engineer release of the same or a higher version number. If you already upgraded the firmware you should use the corresponding PLCnext Engineer release to have the current project templates at hand.
Firmware version 2019.0
LTS
2020.0
LTS
2021.0
LTS
2022.0
LTS
2022.3 2022.6 2022.9 2023.0
LTS
2023.3 2023.6 2023.9 2024.0
LTS
2024.6
Download changes
AX_Control - Axioline firmware commands
(only supported by PLCnext Control devices with Axioline local bus (AXC F x152), see Product range)
IB_Control - INTERBUS firmware commands
(only supported by PLCnext Control devices with additional AXC F XT IB, see Product range)
PROFINET RDREC and WRREC
PROFINET Alarm and AR management
TLS Sockets
Force values from I/O variables
WSTRING data type 

Real-time C++ programming

Firmware version 2019.0
LTS
2020.0
LTS
2021.0
LTS
2022.0
LTS
2022.3 2022.6 2022.9 2023.0
LTS
2023.3 2023.6 2023.9 2024.0
LTS
2024.6
Real-time C++ programs
Call of RSC services
Threads
Retain memory access
Axioline RSC services
INTERBUS RSC services
PROFINET RSC services
TLS Sockets
License management RSC services
Support for component ports

Real-time C# programming

The C# real-time implementation does not support all .Net™ framework classes. For all details, please refer to the supported C# functions.

Supported Microsoft® Visual Studio® versions
Firmware version
2019.x 2020.x to 2022.x 2023.x and 2024.x
Microsoft® Visual Studio® 2015  – deprecated – PLCnext Technology Development Tools for Visual Studio 2019.x
Microsoft® Visual Studio® 2017  – deprecated –
Microsoft® Visual Studio® 2019 PLCnext Technology Development Tools for Visual Studio 202x.x PLCnext Toolchain 2023.0
or newer
Microsoft® Visual Studio® 2022 PLCnext Toolchain 2023.0
or newer
IEC 61131-3 runtime features in C# programming
Firmware version 2019.0
LTS
2020.0
LTS
2021.0
LTS
2022.0
LTS
2022.3 2022.6 2022.9 2023.0
LTS
2023.3 2023.6 2023.9 2024.0
LTS
2024.6
Functions
Function blocks
Programs  ✔

Real-time Simulink® programming

Software version PC Worx Target for Simulink v1.60 and 
PLCnext Target for Simulink v2.00 to v2.40
PLCnext Target for Simulink
v2.00 to v2.40
Firmware version 2019.0
LTS
2020.0
LTS
2021.0
LTS
2022.0
LTS
2022.3 2022.6 2022.9 2023.0
LTS
2023.3 2023.6 2023.9 2024.0
LTS
2024.6
PC Worx Target for SimulinkPLCnext Target for Simulink - Programs
PC Worx Target for Simulink / PLCnext Target for Simulink - Function blocks
PC Worx Target for SimulinkPLCnext Target for Simulink - Programs
PLCnext Engineer - viewer for Simulink®
External mode
Co-simulation
Demo mode
Multi-model instantiation
Parameter tuning
Multirate / Multitasking
Meta flagging
Debug information gathering
Multicore support 
Simulink® SDK Manager
xExecute & Duration ports
Ports as structs
Batch building
Download Changes
Simulink® test support
Remote controlling
Multi-instantiation of programs
Simulink® Block: variable subscription
Eclipse® debugging
PLCnext Model function blocks
(supported by PLCnext Target for Simulink v2.10 or newer)
PLCnext Subsystem function block library
(supported by PLCnext Target for Simulink v2.10 or newer)
PLCnext tab within Simulink® 
(supported by PLCnext Target for Simulink v2.30 or newer)

Web server

Firmware version 2019.0
LTS
2020.0
LTS
2021.0
LTS
2022.0
LTS
2022.3 2022.6 2022.9 2023.0
LTS
2023.3 2023.6 2023.9 2024.0
LTS
2024.6
Web‑based Management in PLCnext Control devices
HTML5
HTTPS
Support of PLCnext Engineer HMI
REST data interface - access GDS ports
REST data interface - access global and external variables

PLCnext Engineer embedded HMI (eHMI)

PLCnext Engineer version 2019.0
LTS
2020.0
LTS
2021.0
LTS
2022.0
LTS
2022.3 2022.6 2022.9 2023.0
LTS
2023.3 2023.6 2023.9 2024.0
LTS
2024.6
Basic forms and elements
Symbols
Symbol in symbol (one level)
Symbol in symbol (multi-level) 
Animations
Animated timer
Actions - Execute an event
Actions - Multiple events
Actions - Write value
Search and replace in symbols and dynamics
Import and export HMI Libraries
Import pages from other projects
Access IEC 61131-3 external variables
Access local variables of function blocks
Tags - Primitive data types
Tags - Any Bit (e.g. var. %X1)
Tags - Array
Tags - Struct
Tags - Array of Struct
Tags - Local function block variables
Tags - Assign UDTs to symbol parameters
Tags - Define local tags for symbols 
Folder in HMI application tree
eHMI Easy Login - refresh without re-authentication 
Object Explorer shows a hierarchic tree view of HMI objects
Actions triggered on page-activated event
Actions triggered by data 
Trending chart view 
Multi-language applications 
Expressions in symbol parameters 
Editor for page templates 
Drop list symbol
Alarming (configurable alarms)

OPC UA® Server

Firmware version 2019.0
LTS
2020.0
LTS
2021.0
LTS
2022.0
LTS
2022.3 2022.6 2022.9 2023.0
LTS
2023.3 2023.6 2023.9 2024.0
LTS
2024.6
Data Access – Primitive datatypes
Data Access – Arrays and Structs
Data Access – PLC status information
Data Access – Date & Time data type
Alarm & Condition – Send alarms
Alarm & Condition – Enable/disable alarms
Alarm & Condition – Confirm alarms
Alarm & Condition – Acknowledge alarms
File Transfer – Access directories and files
File Transfer – Open, read, write, seek and close files
Support of GDS push certificate management
Historical Access* – Primitive datatypes
Historical Access* – Get history of a specific time frame
Historical Access* – Cyclic Read
Subscription type – Real-time
Subscription type – Direct Read
Information models – Basic support
Certification according to OPC UA® version 1.0.4
(AXC F 2152 with FW 2021.9 only)
Reverse Connect
Firmware update via OPC UA®
Project update via OPC UA®

* OPC UA Historical Access available via file-based configuration only – configuration via PLCnext Engineer will be implemented later

OPC UA® Client

Firmware version 2019.0
LTS
2020.0
LTS
2021.0
LTS
2022.0
LTS
2022.3 2022.6 2022.9 2023.0
LTS
2023.3 2023.6 2023.9 2024.0
LTS
2024.6
OPC UA® Client – Basic support
eUA Client diagnostics

OPC UA® Pub/Sub

Firmware version 2019.0
LTS
2020.0
LTS
2021.0
LTS
2022.0
LTS
2022.3 2022.6 2022.9 2023.0
LTS
2023.3 2023.6 2023.9 2024.0
LTS
2024.6
OPC UA® PubSub – Basic support

Modbus TCP Client

Firmware version 2019.0
LTS
2020.0
LTS
2021.0
LTS
2022.0
LTS
2023.0
LTS
2023.3 2023.6 2023.9 2024.0 LTS 2024.6
Modbus TCP client

Notification Manager and Logger

Firmware version 2019.0
LTS
2020.0
LTS
2021.0
LTS
2022.0
LTS
2022.3 2022.6 2022.9 2023.0
LTS
2023.3 2023.6 2023.6 2024.0
LTS
2024.6
System notifications (diagnostic)
PROFIsafe® notifications (diagnostic) 
View and download notifications via PLCnext Engineer cockpit
View and download notifications via WBM 
Register, send, and receive notifications (C++)
Log notifications (SQLite database)
Security notifications  – dedicated security log

Task-synchronous DataLogger

First implemented with firmware 2019.3, therefore the table does not show a 2019.0 LTS column.

Firmware version 2020.0
LTS
2021.0
LTS
2022.0
LTS
2022.3 2022.6 2022.9 2023.0
LTS
2023.3 2023.6 2023.9 2024.0
LTS
2024.6
Logging of GDS ports
File format – SQLite
Mode – Infinite
Mode – On change (Sequence of Event)
Mode – Time frame
Mode – Trigger
C++ API (Remote Service Call – RSC) to query the database
Time stamp according to ISO 8601
Session configuration and management via PLCnext Engineer 
Session configuration and management via RSC IDataLoggerService2 
Sampling values in a specified ESM task 

Proficloud

Firmware version 2019.0
LTS
2020.0
LTS
2021.0
LTS
2022.0
LTS
2022.3 2022.6 2022.9 2023.0
LTS
2023.3 2023.6 2023.9 2024.0
LTS
2024.6
Proficloud.net time series data (TSD) interface
(including
GDS ports)
Proficloud.io Device Management interface
Proficloud.io time series data (TSD) interface


• Published/reviewed: 2024-09-24   ☀  Revision 073 •