AN international motion control trends survey has found programmable logic controllers (PLCs) still dominate the industrial landscape, with 81% of respondents claiming to use PLCs.
Among several types of motion controllers available, survey results found PLC usage at 81.5%, although little growth was predicted in the next 18 months (4.3%).
Personal computer (PC)-based motion controllers are moving up. More than half of respondents (55.3%) currently use them; another 14% contemplate near-future usage. Hybrid controllers, combining PLC- and PC-based features, drew relatively low response for present and future use (37.5%), again over the next 18 months.
Nearly 44% of respondents use board-level motion controllers and will in the near-term future. Chip-based motion controllers came in at 24.1% response. However, this youngest motion controller technology indicates the highest projected growth rate over the next 18 months.