--- title: "Virtual PLC and control as software — logiccloud CONTROL" description: "PLC logic in IEC 61131-3 Structured Text, HMI in the browser, running at the edge or in the cloud. Develop once, then choose the hardware later." url: https://logiccloud.com/en/products/control/ language: en-GB --- logiccloud CONTROL # A virtual PLC to IEC 61131-3. Vendor-neutral. Built in the browser. Run on your hardware. Request trial access — we set it up and email you. [Try CONTROL for free](https://logiccloud.com/en/register/) [Book a demo](https://logiccloud.com/en/demo/) logiccloud IDE IEC 61131-3 HMI FBD **logiccloud** Automation App v2.4 PLC HMI Interfaces Runtime - Private / Public Cloud v2.4 - Data Center\ Cloud-native v2.4 - Edge Device\ Vendor A v2.4 - Edge Device\ Vendor B v2.4 ## Less engineering. Lower costs. More speed. **The PLC program and the HMI are built together in the browser-based logiccloud IDE.** Nothing to install: Structured Text with function blocks, libraries and object-oriented extensions, the HMI by drag & drop in the same project, live values right in the code while debugging. **Once developed, your app runs on a wide range of hardware platforms — all the way to Kubernetes.** That avoids duplicate development, keeps you technologically flexible and lowers effort and cost across the entire lifecycle. The logiccloud IDE ## One automation app, one project, one browser What you would otherwise spread over several tools sits in one project with CONTROL — reachable from any computer with a browser. - ### Program - IEC 61131-3 Structured Text - Function blocks and libraries - Object-oriented extensions: methods, classes, interfaces - Versioned builds in the cloud - ### Operate - Web HMI in the same project - Drag & drop, responsive for panel, tablet, smartphone - Your own reusable components - Themes for your look and feel - ### Debug & connect - Live values in the code, I/O forcing, trend charts - OPC UA, Modbus, MQTT incl. Sparkplug B, Kafka, REST, InfluxDB, Node-RED - logiccloud Assistant: AI in the editor, with your own model key (Anthropic, OpenAI or Google) And if your team prefers its own AI agent: through the agent-kit, Claude Code, Codex & co. work on the same projects. CONTROL Edge + CONTROL Cloud ## Edge or cloud — you decide. - ### CONTROL Edge — automation right at the process For applications right at the process. Typical fields of use are machines, plants, buildings, energy and infrastructure systems. - Direct I/O connection - Fieldbus communication - Fast response times - Local data processing - Operation independent of a cloud connection - ### CONTROL Cloud — scale automation centrally The Automation App runs as a virtual PLC on central infrastructure. - Central control functions - Energy and load management - Building and infrastructure automation - Cross-site applications - Higher-level coordination Virtual PLCs compared ## Hardware-independent is not vendor-independent A virtual PLC settles which device your control runs on. Whether you are then tied to one vendor’s tools, formats and operating platform is a second question — and it decides the next 15 years. Scroll sideways to compare every package → | Hardware-independent is not vendor-independent |   Classic PLC |   Virtual PLC inside a vendor ecosystem | logiccloud CONTROL Virtual PLC on open standards | | --------------------------------------------------- | ------------- | --------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | | | | | | | Free choice of hardware | Not included | Included | Included | | Hardware from different vendors | Not included | Not included | Included | | Engineering tool in the browser, nothing to install | Not included | Not included | Included | | Free choice of operating platform | n/a | Not included | Included | | Runs in your own data centre | n/a | limited | Included | | Roll out updates across vendors | Not included | Not included | Included | logiccloud CONTROL belongs in the third column: IEC 61131-3, running on edge hardware from many vendors or on your own IT infrastructure — and kept current in the field with ORCHESTRATE. AI agent · logiccloud agent-kit MCP Request Pump P2 should shut down after 5 s of dry running. Please implement and roll out to plant North. Reading project “Pump station” via logiccloud-control … Main.st: function block FB_DryRun added (TON, 5 s) HMI page “Pumps”: alarm “Dry run P2” added Cloud build: succeeded, 0 errors Change waiting for your approval Main.st · IEC 61131-3 1 FUNCTION_BLOCK FB_DryRun 2 VAR_INPUT xRunning : BOOL ; xFlow : BOOL ; END_VAR 3 VAR_OUTPUT xShutdown : BOOL ; END_VAR 4 VAR tDelay : TON ; END_VAR 5 tDelay(IN := xRunning AND NOT xFlow, PT := T#5s ); 6 xShutdown := tDelay.Q; // alarm to the HMI 7 END_FUNCTION_BLOCK Rollout · canary · plant North Device Hardware Version Status PS-North-01 WAGO CC100 1.4.1 1.4.2 running updated PS-North-02 ctrlX CORE 1.4.1 1.4.2 waiting updated PS-North-03 Phoenix EPC 1.4.1 1.4.2 waiting updated PS-North-04 Raspberry Pi 1.4.1 1.4.2 waiting updated Batch approved (admin) · recorded in the audit log Illustrative example — names and values are made up. logiccloud agent-kit ## Your AI agent works right in the project The agent of your choice reads and writes Structured Text, builds in the cloud, adapts HMI pages and brings the result to your devices — through open MCP interfaces, with no desktop tool in between. [AI agents with logiccloud](https://logiccloud.com/en/products/ai-agents/) Operations & data sovereignty ## You decide where CONTROL runs - ### At the edge without a cloud connection The virtual PLC keeps running at the machine, even when the network is down. - ### In your own data centre On-premises on your Kubernetes, OpenShift or server infrastructure. - ### In the cloud of your choice Private cloud, STACKIT, Azure, AWS — or our cloud operation hosted in Europe. - ### No hyperscaler lock-in The core functions do not depend on the services of a big cloud provider. ## One Automation App — many platforms CONTROL runs on edge hardware from many manufacturers and on cloud-native IT and Kubernetes infrastructure, to operate control applications flexibly, scalably and with high availability. Edge Connect hardware directly. Configure it fast. The convenient browse function shows you the available data points, and you configure the connection right in the logiccloud IDE – simple, fast and without extra tools. - ![OPC UA](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/opcua_logo.Bkj0wp0-_Z1i7Wtp.webp) - ![ctrlX](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/ctrlx_logo._ZIasg4p_Z1cGlng.webp) ctrlX Data Layer integration - ![Murrelektronik](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/murr_logo.C-uOQZVk_1G8CDr.webp) Standard app on the Xelity switch - ![Revolution Pi](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/revolutionpi_logo.DW4sI9uE_Z1DL3Lk.svg) piControl integration - ![Weidmüller](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/weidmueller_logo.CH4Pg79A_EbsAI.webp) u-OS Data Hub integration * ![Altus](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/altus_logo.DzSnXaho_gsQ7o.webp) * ![Beckhoff](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/beckhoff_logo.IIawJv61_1adbSX.svg) * ![be energy SG](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/energysg_logo.CBtzqb6O_2kNLrT.webp) * ![Beijer Electronics](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/beier_logo.BtB1xZQb_ZCVl7D.webp) * ![Belden](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/belden_logo.Ki3tuTLT_2gU4KN.webp) * ![Festo](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/festo_logo.BM7BspH3_27DKwG.webp) * ![FLECS](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/flecs_logo.Bq1D2GEl_1bH6cP.webp) * ![Hilscher](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/Hilscher_logo.Bl2mAGU5_ZBENMu.webp) * ![in.hub](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/inhub_logo.Bc4F4qUz_ibsct.webp) * ![IXON](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/ixon_logo.DC60Iato_ZVhFfv.webp) * ![Kontron](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/kontron_logo.icvYJMed_ZfeO1v.webp) * ![MBS](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/mbs_logo.D3jEvdYr_Z16NrLS.webp) * ![Phoenix Contact](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/phoenix_logo.BSHFw06-_1Unlpb.webp) * ![Raspberry Pi](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/raspberry_logo.COWYvMcM_Z11uhuD.webp) * ![SALZ Automation](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/salz_logo.DaEpm5Pc_1SWUPY.webp) * ![SICK](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/sick_logo.DEnYBiQz_25g3NB.svg) * ![Siemens](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/siemens_logo.DjdwYgkC_2fn9Tm.svg) * ![WAGO](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/wago_logo.Ra6Bp2rz_Zwx8Sf.webp) PRIVATE / PUBLIC CLOUD · DATA CENTER · ON PREMISES - ![AWS](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/aws_logo.DrF9iKmr_Z1CIkyL.webp) - ![Google Cloud](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/googlecloud_logo.BElGh099_1cwIow.webp) - ![Hetzner](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/hetzner_logo.BmljYLFI_ZVWvNO.webp) - ![Microsoft Azure](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/azure_logo.CB7iGlWZ_1MnHvp.webp) - ![OpenShift](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/openshift_logo.DDcewxUR_ZWPEHV.webp) - ![Private Cloud](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/privatecloud_icon.DIbe4Vim_Z20aete.webp) - ![STACKIT](https://logiccloud.com/_astro/stackit_logo.BZ04d5r__2ldM5S.svg) ## Frequently asked questions about CONTROL What CONTROL does — and where dedicated hardware stays. What about real time? Time-critical control belongs at the machine: CONTROL Edge runs right on the device, with local I/O, independent of the internet. How hard a real-time requirement is met depends on the device and its operating system — we settle that when designing your application. Is CONTROL suitable for motion and safety functions? Fast motion applications and certified safety functions will stay on dedicated hardware for the foreseeable future. CONTROL takes on sequence control, plant logic, visualisation and connectivity — and works alongside safety and motion controllers. Which IEC 61131-3 languages does CONTROL support? CONTROL is built on Structured Text (ST) — the standard’s textual language, with function blocks, libraries and object-oriented extensions. It can be versioned, compared, and read and written by AI agents. What hardware do I need? Linux, a container runtime such as Docker or Podman, and access to the process — on x86 or ARM. The hardware page lists the devices. How do I keep many devices current? With logiccloud ORCHESTRATE: roll out new versions in stages, stop on problems, log every change — across vendors. ## Start with vendor-neutral automation Try logiccloud CONTROL for free or talk to us about your use case. [Try CONTROL for free](https://logiccloud.com/en/register/) [Book a demo](https://logiccloud.com/en/demo/)