PLCken

PLCken is a hypothetical open-source platform intended for learning, prototyping, and simulating programmable logic controller (PLC) applications. It provides an integrated environment that combines a PLC runtime with a ladder-logic editor and a device simulator, allowing users to design and test control programs without access to real industrial hardware. The name PLCken combines PLC, engineering shorthand for programmable logic controllers, with ken, an old term meaning knowledge or understanding, signaling its educational purpose.

The software is described as modular, with core components including a runtime engine that executes ladder logic and function-block diagrams, a graphical editor for program creation, and a simulation layer that models inputs, outputs, timers, counters, and basic analog signals. It emphasizes portability and accessibility, often targeting Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms, and aims to be lightweight enough for classroom use or individual experimentation. In many descriptions, PLCken is presented as an open-source project with community contributions and public documentation.

Common applications include classroom instruction in automation topics, rapid prototyping of control schemes, and hobbyist experimentation with PLC concepts. Limitations typically cited include lack of certification for industrial deployment, absence of formal technical support, and performance constraints relative to production-grade PLC systems.

Related topics include programmable logic controllers, ladder logic, function block diagrams, and open-source automation projects.