How to Reduce Automation Development Cycles by 40%: 4 Real-World Applications of Unionscience LicOS TOA
In the current manufacturing landscape, enterprises face a shared, harsh reality:
Migrating legacy projects or adapting to new equipment requires the simultaneous maintenance of PLC, HMI, and SCADA tools. Engineers must ensure accuracy, stability, and scalability within increasingly tight delivery windows.
The challenge is compounded by the need to mix different controller brands, fragmented software logic, and the inability to reuse engineering experience across different production lines. These inefficiencies are driving up automation costs.
To address these challenges, Unionscience presents a game-changing solution: the LicOS TOA (Total Open Automation) Unified Platform.
Below, we analyze four real-world case studies—ranging from OEM precision machine tools to 3C electronics manufacturing—to demonstrate how TOA enables a seamless connection from bottom-layer control to top-layer O&M. This is how we turn "cost reduction and efficiency enhancement" from a slogan into reality.
Scenario 1: Advanced Motion Control Solutions
The Industry Challenge
Complex Coordination: Difficulty in coordinating multi-axis movements leads to long debugging times.
High Learning Curve: Engineers face a steep learning curve, causing unstable project timelines.
Inefficient Coding: Traditional PTP/interpolation control is costly; changing or expanding axes requires rewriting massive amounts of code.
The LicOS TOA Solution
We utilize the LicOS TOA Motion Control Library (based on PLCopen standards) to establish a unified multi-axis control model.
Core Features: Supports Point-to-Point (PTP), continuous interpolation, electronic cams, and gear synchronization.
Visual Configuration: Full parameter visualization eliminates the need to manually maintain intermediate variables.
Auto-Sync: Motion parameters synchronize automatically with HMI/SCADA mechanisms.
Real-World Impact
Code Reduction: Engineering programming volume reduced by approximately 30%.
Reusability: Modular motion control schemes are reusable, eliminating repetitive development.
Performance: Reduced trajectory errors and improved operational smoothness.
Efficiency: Commissioning cycle compressed by 30–40%.
Applicable to: Motion platforms, gantry mechanisms, dispensing/soldering/laser equipment.
Scenario 2: Process Control & Virtual Commissioning
The Industry Challenge
Hardware Dependency: Debugging relies on physical equipment availability; schedules are dictated by production planning.
Risk: On-site issues cannot be replicated in a simulation environment.
Fragmentation: Process logic, motion logic, and visualization are often disconnected.
Uncertainty: Throughput rates and extreme operating conditions cannot be verified before go-live.
The LicOS TOA Solution
Using protocols like OPC UA and Modbus TCP, we interconnect TOA’s PLC control logic with 3D Digital Twin models (e.g., palletizers) for real-time bidirectional synchronization of action and feedback.
Offline Logic Verification: Validate pallet detection, pick-and-place actions, and cycle flows without physical hardware.
Trajectory Tuning: Pre-analyze cycle times, paths, collision avoidance, and synchronization.
Fault Simulation: Reproduce jammed boxes, dropped loads, sensor jitter, and timeouts in a virtual environment.
HMI/SCADA Linkage: Interface animations and trend curves read directly from simulation data.
Real-World Impact
Time Savings: On-site commissioning time reduced by 40–60%.
Stability: Control logic is stabilized during the simulation phase (Virtual Commissioning).
Success Rate: Faster equipment launch with a significantly higher first-run success rate.
Optimization: Faults can be reviewed offline for long-term optimization.
Applicable to: Palletizers, conveyor lines, packaging lines, warehousing, and logistics.
Scenario 3: 3C Electronics Manufacturing
The Industry Challenge
Migration Pain: Projects often require cross-platform migration; legacy logic is scattered, leading to lost rules.
High Pressure: Short lead times and fast iteration cycles increase on-site engineering costs.
Replication Costs: High costs associated with replicating multiple production lines.
The LicOS TOA Solution
The TOA IDE features automatic recognition of legacy logic structures, allowing direct replication of ST, LD, and FB code from original systems.
Auto-Parsing: Automatically parses old project structures and adapts syntax rules.
Minimal Tuning: Runs with only minor hardware parameter adjustments.
Variable Sync: Mechanisms prevent the need for manual variable reconnection.
High Reuse: Most Function Blocks (FB/FBD) from original projects are directly reusable.
Real-World Impact
Speed: Production line migration cycle reduced by 70%.
Efficiency: Engineering code reuse rate exceeds 90%.
Cost Savings: Saves approximately 200,000 RMB per year per line in labor and downtime costs.
Applicable to: SMT lines, assembly lines, battery module lines, and multi-brand hybrid control lines.
Scenario 4: OEM Equipment Manufacturing
The Industry Challenge
Customization: Diverse customer orders require rapid equipment customization.
fragmentation: Mixed controller brands and scattered HMI/SCADA/PLC software.
Delays: Long debugging cycles and difficult upgrades.
Inconsistency: Non-unified parameters affect processing consistency.
The LicOS TOA Solution
TOA supports single-platform compatibility for multiple controller types, achieving "Integrated Electrical Control Development."
Full Integration: G-Code parsing + PLC Logic + HMI + SCADA all in one.
Synchronization: Full-process parameter synchronization.
Templating: Equipment modularization leads to a project reuse rate of ≥80%.
Remote Debugging: Supports online debugging, reducing the need for repetitive machine time.
Real-World Impact
Speed: Debugging cycle shortened from 12 days to 5 days.
Precision: Deviation controlled within ±0.005mm.
Quality: Defect rate reduced by 35%.
Service: Faster engineering delivery and significantly lower after-sales costs.
Applicable to: Equipment requiring rapid delivery, customization, and cross-brand control.
Across diverse industries, the core engineering requirements remain consistent: shorter development cycles, stable system performance, lower comprehensive costs, and controlled delivery risks.
For enterprises facing production line retrofits, equipment upgrades, or cost pressures, LicOS TOA is not just a tool—it is a proven pathway to success.
Faster Launch. Less Rework. Lower Cost. Higher Reliability.
Unionscience is ready to collaborate with partners globally to drive industrial upgrades through highly efficient automation solutions.
