
45 - Why PLCnext Technology Is Changing Industrial Automation Forever with Martin Boers
From Unplugged: An IIoT Podcast by Phil Seboa and Ed Fuentes - Industry Sage Media
March 3, 2026 · 1h 3m · Episode 45
About this episode
This episode discusses how PLCnext Technology is transforming industrial automation and the implications of IT/OT convergence.
Join host Ed and Phil as they explore how PLCnext Technology is redefining what industrial controllers can do, and why openness in automation is both a massive opportunity and a serious responsibility. Martin Boers, Technical Specialist at PLCnext Technology with Phoenix Contact, joins to discuss the origins of the PLCnext ecosystem, what IT/OT convergence really looks like on the plant floor, and how partnerships with companies like Festo and Yaskawa are shaping the future of automation platforms. Key topics in this episode: - The four pillars of PLCnext Technology: Control, Engineer, Store, and Community - IT/OT convergence: LDAP, firewalls, certificates, and the EU Cyber Resilience Act - Docker containers and the PLCnext Store app ecosystem - PLCnext Technology partnerships and the all-electric society ---------------------------------- This episode is proudly made possible by PLCnext Technology PLCnext Technology is the ecosystem for industrial automation consisting of open hardware, modular engineering software, a global community, and a digital software marketplace. Learn more at: https://www.plcnext-community.net/news/synergy-edge-cloud/…
People in this episode
Hosts: Ed Fuentes, Phil Seboa
Guest: Martin Boers
Topics covered
- PLCnext Technology
- industrial automation
- IT/OT convergence
- partnerships in automation
- open hardware
- digital software marketplace
Keywords
- PLCnext Technology
- industrial controllers
- automation platforms
- Docker containers
- cyber resilience
- engineering software
- community
Sponsors
PLCnext Technology
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: PLCnext Technology, Phoenix Contact, Festo, Yaskawa, EU Cyber Resilience Act
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