For an episode of “Beyond the Concept” podcast, a show by Concept Systems, host Tyler Kern chatted with John Miller, the principal engineer at Rockwell Automations, and Jerry Flynn, the company’s principal controls engineer. The trio particularly discussed Programmable Numerical Control, mostly known by its initials, PNC, and how Rockwell has been a premier leader in the shift from computer numerical control, CNC, to programmable logic controller, or PLC. As Miller explained, PNC is a combination of both PLC and CNC. As its developer, he said he designed it over two decades ago because it was a necessary update in advancement to traditional CNC.

“PNC is a software tool that was developed by Rockwell and I developed this tool about 25 years ago, and it will turn your PLC into a CNC controller. It will allow you to run a CNC program, an M code, G code program, right out of your PLC, and it will allow you to do the CNC applications right out of the PLC,” said Miller.

Miller added that PNC has many perks that have exceptionally simplified and changed operations given its versatility.

“The real beauty of a CNC controller is the flexibility, that CNC in general will allow you to run a variety of a lot of different parts — that’s what CNC does. So the ability to run a PLC in that mode is very beneficial.” he said