Industrial Automation Enters a New Software Engineering Era
Industrial automation engineering is undergoing a major transformation. Modern factories require faster development cycles, stronger software quality, and better collaboration between global engineering teams.
Traditional PLC programming methods built the foundation of reliable factory automation for decades. However, manufacturing systems now contain larger software structures, more machine variants, and deeper connections between PLC, DCS, MES, and enterprise platforms.
Therefore, automation engineers increasingly need software development practices that support version control, reusable code, automated testing, and continuous improvement.
Siemens SIMATIC AX represents this shift by introducing a software-centric approach to PLC engineering. It aims to combine industrial control reliability with modern software engineering methods.
Why Traditional PLC Engineering Faces New Challenges
For many years, PLC programming focused on machine commissioning. Engineers created control logic, tested systems on physical equipment, and completed projects through vendor-specific engineering environments.
These methods remain widely used because they provide predictable operation and strong integration with industrial control systems.
However, factory automation requirements have changed. Manufacturers now operate global production networks with multiple machine versions, distributed engineering teams, and frequent software updates.
As a result, traditional project-based engineering approaches can create challenges in several areas:
- Limited collaboration: Engineers often struggle to manage parallel development across different locations.
- Reduced traceability: Teams may find it difficult to identify software changes and responsible engineers.
- Late validation: Problems may appear during commissioning when correction costs become higher.
- Poor software reuse: Copying PLC code between machines can create inconsistent versions.
- Higher maintenance effort: Small changes may require extensive testing because engineers lack automated validation methods.
From my experience supporting industrial automation projects, software maintenance often creates more long-term cost than initial commissioning. A structured development process can significantly reduce future engineering workload.
Software-Centric Engineering Changes PLC Development Methods
Software-centric engineering treats PLC applications as structured software products rather than isolated machine projects.
This approach introduces methods commonly used in enterprise software development, including Git-based collaboration, automated testing, reusable libraries, and continuous integration workflows.
Moreover, it supports stronger engineering discipline throughout the industrial software lifecycle.
For example, engineers can review code changes before deployment, manage software versions through repositories, and validate functions before applying updates to production systems.
Therefore, software-centric engineering helps manufacturers improve both development speed and control system quality.
TIA Portal and SIMATIC AX Serve Different Engineering Needs
Siemens positions SIMATIC AX as a complement to TIA Portal rather than a direct replacement.
TIA Portal remains a central engineering platform for SIMATIC PLC configuration, hardware setup, diagnostics, commissioning, and integrated automation projects.
SIMATIC AX focuses more on software development practices, source-based programming, and scalable engineering workflows.
Together, these tools support different stages of the industrial software lifecycle.
For example:
- TIA Portal supports controller configuration and system commissioning.
- SIMATIC AX supports structured software development and lifecycle management.
This combination allows manufacturers to maintain proven automation practices while introducing modern software methods.
AI-Assisted Engineering and Industrial Software Development
The automation industry is also moving toward AI-assisted engineering.
Siemens continues exploring AI capabilities within engineering environments, including applications for code generation, documentation support, and engineering productivity improvement.
However, industrial automation requires careful implementation.
Control programs directly affect machine operation, safety functions, and production availability.
Therefore, engineers must validate AI-generated content through established engineering procedures and testing methods.
AI can support engineers, but professional engineering judgment remains essential.
Practical Application Scenarios for SIMATIC AX
Software-centric engineering can provide value across multiple industrial applications.
Machine builders:
Manufacturers can create standardized PLC libraries and reduce development time across machine variants.
Automotive production:
Engineering teams can manage complex automation software across multiple production lines.
Process industries:
Plants can improve software maintenance practices for PLC-based auxiliary systems and integrated control applications.
Global manufacturing companies:
Distributed teams can collaborate through common software repositories and controlled release processes.
Expert Perspective: The Future of PLC Programming
The future of PLC programming will not eliminate traditional automation engineering methods.
Instead, industrial automation will combine proven control technologies with modern software practices.
PLC, DCS, SCADA, and industrial communication systems will continue requiring deterministic performance and engineering discipline.
However, manufacturers must improve how they develop, maintain, and update automation software.
In my view, software-centric engineering represents an important evolution for the automation industry. The companies that successfully combine PLC expertise with software development methods will gain advantages in machine scalability, engineering efficiency, and long-term system maintenance.
Conclusion: Building the Next Generation of Industrial Automation
Industrial automation is moving from project-based programming toward lifecycle-focused software engineering.
Technologies such as SIMATIC AX, IEC 61131-3 Structured Text, Git collaboration, reusable libraries, and DevOps practices provide new possibilities for modern PLC development.
However, successful adoption requires more than new tools. Manufacturers need standardized processes, skilled engineers, and clear software management strategies.
The future factory will depend on both automation knowledge and software engineering capability.
