Windows CE, the thinnest among Microsoft Windows operating systems, works as fast as PLCs, is moving to real time, and offers developers of automation, control, and instrumentation software the advantages of the Microsoft development world.

Windows CE is compatible with existing Windows products, can look like Windows NT to the user, and has reduced memory requirements, less than 1 MB, so hard disk isn't required on the hardware of handheld, palm, mobile, operator interfaces, and embedded computers. Microsoft Corp. (Redmond, Wa.) says Windows CE 2.0 exceeds the performance of most popular PLC platforms with a worst-case response time latency of 500 msec; version 2.11, available now, has added advantages; future versions will be hard real-time.

Win CE appears in human-machine interface products, in programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and in various automation and instrumentation software. Hand-held applications help supply-chain activities with Windows CE mobile computers for field staff, which then transfer data to manufacturing execution or enterprise systems.

Common platforms, such as Windows CE, also allow software and hardware developers to focus on adding value to core products, rather than replicating efforts.

Applications include embedded machine and CNC control; embedded visualization capabilities, with or without control; open PLCs driven by CE-based control engines; smart I/O devices; and dedicated embedded controllers, such as single or multi-loop PID and flow controllers. Handheld PCs from Hewlett Packard, Sharp, Casio, Compaq and other run Windows CE.

Dave Rohn, development manager for Open Control group of Rockwell Automation (Mayfield Heights, O.), expects Win CE use in palmtop and handheld computers, within automation software, and as an embedded real-time operating system (OS).

"The rich development environment gives us ability to more rapidly respond to changes and develop products, with less time devoted to debugging code." Mr. Rohn, who's done some debugging himself, says it's quicker and easier within the rich Microsoft environment than with many other methods.

While Windows NT is a strong platform for control, Windows CE will offer tighter real-time capabilities, Mr. Rohn says, and will be integrated into multiple Rockwell Automation and Rockwell Software products. Windows CE version 3.0 will provide interrupt latencies of 50 msec, suitable for "hard real-time" and a platform for small footprint systems.

Rockwell Automation's soft logic product, SoftLogix, will have controllers for Windows CE as well as NT, Mr. Rohn says. Window CE is likely to expand user choices, rather than displace any product category, he says. Rockwell Automation discusses its views in "Using the Windows NT Operating System for Soft Real-time Control— Separating Fact from Fiction White Paper" on its web site.

James E. Heaton, vp technology research for AMR Research (Boston, Mass.) says, "With Win CE as the core technology, application software will be able to talk to all other MS-based systems on the network.

"The CE-based PLC vision is that the PLC becoming more like a general-purpose computer, an OS, and a programming environment for a code compiler. European and Asian PLC implementations are a more immediate fit for Win CE. The larger ones already have an OS environment and multiple programming languages," Mr. Heaton predicts. Some North American manufacturers, such as Allen-Bradley, use a proprietary multitasking processor for both code and communications, a less likely candidate for initial use of Win CE, he says.

Win CE, operating as thinner-than-NT implementation, presents advantages to manufacturers interested in open control architectures. As a communications method in PLCs, Win CE competes with web-server enabled PLC technology as the primary alternative. A PLC can be web-server enabled without designing out its current (proprietary) OS.

Win CE-enabled devices could also proliferate on the plant floor, Mr. Heaton says, as small ruggedized PCs, with or without operator interface, barcode readers, infrared products, radio-frequency or wireless products.

Russell Agrusa, president of Iconics (Foxborough, Mass.), sees Windows CE replacing PLCs, Windows NT, and Windows 98 on the plant floor, because "Win CE requires no hard disk and has no moving parts, with a comparable mean time between failure to PLCs."

Not as much optimism came from Eric Marks, Schneider Automation (North Andover, Mass.) MES/Enterprise Solutions strategic marketing manager in September, saying, "As long as major control companies are around, proprietary languages will dominate in PLCs. Win CE isn't proven, and commercial technology moves faster than the industrial market wants to. Schneider Automation promotes commercial technology, but I just don't see WinCE playing a significant near-term role with PLCs." Even so, Schneider Automation is planning to release Win CE products in the Modicon Quantum controller line next year.

Ken Spenser, president and ceo of Think & Do Software (Ann Arbor, Mich.), expects "Win CE will take traditional PLC hardware to places it's never been before. Certain embedded markets—like semiconductor, electronics, high-speed sorting and conveying—didn't like PLCs' relay ladder logic, proprietary communications, form factor, or cost. Windows CE on an embedded processor, such as WinPLC from PLCDirect, addresses every single one of those issues." It's hard for vendors to write applications to a dozen operating systems, Mr. Spenser adds; users will benefit from a widely used platform with multivendor support.

Gary Klassen, SST (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada) software architect and active in OPC Foundation, says popular, consumer-based Windows CE portable devices like handheld and palm-sized PCs can be used to program devices on the plant floor and run diagnostics that function both as human-machine interface and PLC-type devices. Greater interest in Windows CE is for embedded devices, Klassen suggests. (See "Top 10 reasons….")

Although many initial Windows CE solutions are based on existing PC-style I/O buses (like PC-Card, ISA or PCI), in many cases these I/O buses do not meet the goals of embedded systems, Mr. Klassen explains. Embedded systems have little need to add and remove devices, and drivers may be pre-configured in system memory. These systems are also typically targeted to high volume, low-margin applications where an expensive, full featured interface card is inappropriate.

Microsoft is pursuing the factory floor with Win CE. Harel Kodesh, Microsoft general manager of the Consumer Appliance Group—commenting on a recent Win CE alliance between VenturCom and Wonderware—says, "Windows CE technology will allow us to bring our industry leading control and automation products to small, low-cost hardware platforms, easily embedded into factory-floor equipment."

Tony Barbagallo, Microsoft Windows CE product marketing, doesn't expect Windows CE to control sensors or high-end robotics, "but in other areas, it leverages developers' knowledge base and provides functionality that ties back into enterprise." He says Win CE 3.0 should be in beta in first-half 1999, with production in second half.

Jim Thorp, OI product line manager, Cutler-Hammer (Milwaukee, Wis.), says real-time Win CE will be in PLCs and robotics. Mr. Thorp says users should see low-cost Cutler-Hammer operator interface systems using Win CE in first-half 1999.

Wonderware (Irvine, Calif.) is embedding Windows CE into factory machinery and is in discussions with several hardware manufacturers. Dave Emery, Wonderware's senior business development manager for Windows CE and control products, expects Windows CE to become a standard for factory automation, eliminating PCs, associated connections, keyboard, mouse, and terminal by embedding Windows CE directly into machinery.

Software like Wonderware's FactorySuite software can serve as the base application for an operating system, replacing proprietary PLCs with connectivity to enterprise resource planning and manufacturing execution systems. While Wonderware gets into the machine, others may dwell there also; other vendor's software products could be loaded for various applications. Embedding applications into machinery that line workers already know results in less downtime and more productive operations, Mr. Emery says.

Other major HMI and control hardware and software vendors embracing Microsoft platforms seem likely to implement Win CE within their systems, with products emerging now, or soon.

Win CE certainly isn't the only operating system moving into embedded applications and industrial controllers—competition includes Imagination Systems Hyperkernel, Java, Phar Lap Software, QNX Software, and Tornado/VxWorks, among others.