[Project Story: Reclaiming the "Lost 40 Years" of Industrial Automation]
From a software engineering perspective, the world of Factory Automation (FA) is trapped in a paradigm that is 40 years behind the IT industry.
Expensive dedicated hardware, proprietary and closed programming languages, and "pseudo-object-oriented" structures (like Function Blocks) that force engineers into endless copy-and-paste development. These are not true technical limitations; they are an "intentional stagnation"—a vendor lock-in strategy designed by hardware manufacturers to protect their profits and restrict customers.
For decades, a myth has been passed down in this industry: "General-purpose PCs and OSs cannot achieve stable, real-time machine control due to unpredictable OS interrupts."
But this is simply not true. When software professionals design the right architecture, the immense computational power of general-purpose PCs can be directly harnessed for ultra-precise factory control.
To shatter this outdated industry standard and democratize industrial control—which has long been monopolized by a few large manufacturers—we built OCA (Object-Component Automation): a next-generation deterministic software controller built entirely from scratch in modern C++20.
[The 3 Core Features of OCA]
1. True Object-Oriented Programming: The End of "Copy & Paste"
OCA fully supports "class inheritance" and "polymorphism"—concepts impossible in traditional PLC languages. By simply modifying the core logic in a parent class, changes are instantly applied to all derived machine instances. This "differential programming" approach drastically reduces development and maintenance hours.
2. Bridging Modern DevOps to the Factory Floor
We discarded heavy, expensive, vendor-specific development tools. Instead, OCA is fully integrated as an extension into Visual Studio Code, the global standard editor. From seamless cross-compilation using container technology to one-click deployment on actual edge devices, we provide an environment where IT engineers can make an immediate impact in the FA world.
3. Autonomous Migration System for Legacy Assets
The biggest barrier to adopting a new platform is the massive accumulation of legacy code. OCA features a built-in structural analyzer (AST-based converter) that automatically translates existing PLC programs (such as SCL) into OCA-compliant C++ code. We seamlessly transition your valuable past assets into a modern platform without wasting them.
[Overwhelming Performance Outperforming Dedicated Hardware]
1. Strict Determinism
OCA employs a unique deterministic architecture that fundamentally eliminates the root causes of unpredictable latency at the kernel level. Even on a general-purpose OS, it guarantees perfect periodic operation that rests precisely at the physical limits of external hardware and networks, completely undisturbed by forced OS interrupts.
2. Ultra-Fast Microsecond (µs) Cycle Times
While existing hardware PLCs operate in milliseconds (ms), OCA delivers orders of magnitude higher performance on general-purpose edge devices.
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Siemens SIMATIC IOT2050: 3.6 µs (stable operation)
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Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W: 10.0 µs (stable operation)
You no longer need exorbitant, specialized equipment. Commercial off-the-shelf hardware is instantly reborn into a professional control device that rivals or exceeds high-end dedicated PLCs.
