AI Platform Simplifies Industrial PLC Programming
A student team won the Mitsubishi Electric Cup with "Nexus AI," an AI-driven platform simplifying programming for industrial PLCs. The solution supports both ladder logic and higher-level commands for robotics and automation, lowering the barrier for rapid development and system integration.
The "Nexus AI" platform translates natural language descriptions into Structured Text code, a modern alternative to ladder logic. Ladder logic, a graphical language resembling electrical schematics, was initially favored for its easy understanding, especially for those familiar with relay-based control systems. However, Structured Text is better for complex calculations, data manipulation, and creating easily maintainable programs. Team Nexus AI from Sona College of Technology in Tamil Nadu, consisting of Seralathan R, Tharanika K, Vijay B and Tharana A S, will represent Mitsubishi Electric India at the Global Mitsubishi Electric Factory Automation (MECA) Competition in September 2026. They were selected from nearly 300 national entries after a rigorous evaluation by automation programmers and Mitsubishi Electric R&D engineers at MIT Pune. Their innovation was validated using an Automated Dip Dyeing Machine controlled by their AI-generated code. The Mitsubishi Electric Cup, now known as the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup, is a competition where teams design fully functional automation solutions using Mitsubishi Electric Factory Automation technologies. The competition underscores the growing need for skilled PLC programmers in industrial applications, especially as automation and safety regulations evolve. PLC programming knowledge is valuable in industries needing automation. The team received a cash prize of ₹1,00,000. Atsushi Takase, Managing Director of Mitsubishi Electric India, expressed interest in future collaboration with the team. In the finals, the jury evaluated the platform's architecture, logic integrity, safety framework, and scalability.
