Recently, alongside well-established standard programmable logic controllers (PLCs) from renowned manufacturers, controllers based on open-source software and hardware have emerged on the market, promising a more cost-effective alternative. This thesis investigates both hardware and software aspects of these controllers to compare standard and open-source PLCs, aiming to identify the key differences between the two types and assess the suitability of open-source controllers for industrial automation. The research utilizes comparative criteria that describe the characteristics and capabilities of the hardware and software of selected controllers, which are important from the perspective of industrial automation. Hardware research results were obtained from various datasheets, user manuals and inquiries to controller manufacturers. Software research results were derived from an examination of the development environments of these controllers. In the practical part of the research, software solutions were developed for controlling a parking barrier model and tests were conducted to evaluate the development process with the selected controllers and their development environments. The findings indicate that open-source controllers lag behind standard PLCs in many respects, making them less suitable for use in industrial automation. However, their main advantage is their lower cost.
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