Implementation and Testing of Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Functionality on C-DAC VEGA RISC-V Microcontroller Using OpenPLC

Industrial automation relies on systems that are designed, developed, and commissioned based on commercially available automation controllers. Often, these controllers are not only expensive, but also their hardware and software are proprietary in nature with limited openness in several aspects, including the communication protocols. Such controllers are also susceptible for cyber-attacks leading to major destruction of physical systems based on the current geopolitical scenarios. OpenPLC, a popular open-source programming platform, developed by Autonomy-logic provides a global platform for industrial automation user groups, for deploying automation code on hardware from different vendors. OpenPLC is having an editor for programming logic compliant to IEC61131–3 standard and a Runtime application which is compatible with several Microcontroller boards including those from Arduino. However, OpenPLC Runtime for upcoming RISC-V architecture is rarely available. This work focuses on the use of C-DAC ARIES boards, an indigenous board with THEJAS32 VEGA processor as a PLC, running OpenPLC Runtime software. The work also focuses on basic testing of OpenPLC functional blocks, ladder diagrams, etc., in the C-DAC ARIES board. The RISC-V Processor Cores as well as instruction sets are widely used in various applications. The THEJAS32 VEGA processor supports a wide range of applications including AI applications. RISC-V instruction set are modular and extendable. This initiative leads to setting up an ecosystem to build more optimized industrial automation applications utilizing the power of RISC-V for user-friendly programming including graphical methods such as Ladder Logic using the power of OpenPLC.