Linux-based automation systems, including PLCs, industrial PCs, and IoT devices, are at the heart of a paradigm shift in industrial automation. These technologies are not only consolidating systems, but also opening new avenues for their use across various applications. Despite advancements, a central obstacle remains: many extensions and applications fail due to proprietary restrictions or a lack of know-how for integration on a Linux basis.
Patric Scholz, Co-Founder and Managing Director Sales & Finance at FLECS, highlights the significance of this development: “The challenge for many machine builders lies not only in the development of such software but also in its marketing. Traditional sales structures, which focus on selling machines at high one-time prices, often find themselves helpless against the dynamics and flexibility of modern software sales models.”
This is where the FLECS Marketplace comes in, establishing itself as a distribution platform that makes standardized and individual software solutions accessible. This platform allows machine builders to offer their extensions and applications through an e-commerce platform—free, as a one-time purchase, or on a subscription basis. The Marketplace not only facilitates distribution but also supports billing and commissioning.
Machine operators benefit from the ability to independently order, install, and keep extensions up to date. “By integrating into existing billing systems and taking over the entire transaction processes through FLECS, machine builders and PLC manufacturers can quickly and easily introduce and implement new business models,” adds Scholz. FLECS’s Accelerator Program enables integration of the Marketplace in just six weeks, allowing users to quickly respond to market changes and bring new pricing and distribution models directly to customers.
For more details on this topic, please refer to the article in Computer&Automation:
