From Virtualisation to Functional Safety
The Next Step in Industrial Automation
What if automation systems could break free from the limits of physical hardware? Be it standard or safety related.
Imagine running control tasks, safety applications, and even simulations - virtually - on one powerful, unified platform.
That’s exactly where industrial automation is heading. Virtualisation is transforming how we think about control and safety. Instead of locking safety functions to fixed devices, virtualised environments allow them to operate securely and independently - inside software-defined systems. The results? Greater flexibility, faster testing, and the ability to evolve safety logic without touching a single cable.
At SALZ Automation, we’re bridging the world of IT and OT through CODESYS Virtual Safe Control - brought to life on our high-performance x86 hardware. Together, they create a fully virtualised functional safety environment that speaks the language of protocols like PROFIsafe and FSoE. And yes - it integrates seamlessly with devices from leading vendors across the automation ecosystem.
Virtualised Functional Safety – Explained
Virtualised functional safety frees safety logic from traditional hardware constraints by running it as isolated software instances within a common controller platform. Rather than being locked to dedicated safety PLC modules, safety functions become portable, upgradeable, and testable entirely in a virtual workspace, enabled by SALZ Automation’s use of CODESYS Virtual Safe Control.
This technology breaks away from the “one function, one hardware” rule. It combines safe and standard control in one engineering space, reducing complexity and saving time. With virtualised safety:
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Safe and standard control run together in a unified engineering environment, reducing project complexity.
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Development cycles shorten significantly due to early simulation and risk-free testing within virtual environments.
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Hardware rewiring for upgrades or retrofits is minimized, accelerating deployment and reducing costs.
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Virtualisation also simplifies updates and ensures compliance with IEC 61508 SIL2 and SIL3 standards. Whether for new systems or retrofit projects, everything stays secure and traceable.
CODESYS Virtual Safe Control even delivers SIL3-certified performance using standard CPU cores. It removes the need for special dual-channel hardware and continuously monitors itself through built-in diagnostics.
The Live Demo
For our live demo at SPS Nürnberg 2025 (Booth 380 in Hall 7) we presented what's latest in safe industrial control systems. the demo features controllers based on x86 architecture managing both safety and regular input/output modules from multiple vendors. We’re also unveiled (at the time) unreleased beta version of the CODESYS FSoE solution. The system runs industry-standard safety protocols like PROFIsafe and FSoE, all coordinated by virtual safety logic on the certified CODESYS Virtual Safe Control platform.
This demo shows how one project can ensure safety functions work seamlessly across different hardware brands without losing safety integrity.
Powered by CODESYS Virtual Safe Control, SALZ Automation’s system replaces dedicated hardware channels with virtualized software channels, continuously monitored for errors, while meeting IEC 61508 SIL3 safety standards.
We also be shared our hands-on know-how in the CODESYS IDE - guiding visitors on how to configure, implement, and validate safety applications the right way. And for developers using Node-RED, this demo showed how even flow-based control environments can now benefit from functional safety using our controller.
Our Competences
CODESYS Virtual Safe Control development.
Dedicated focus on IEC 61508 and related international safety standards.
Experience integrating PROFIsafe, FSoE, EtherCAT, and more.
A complete Automation Solutions provider.
The Technology behind
Functional safety should not be sacrificed for flexibility. That’s why SALZ Automation builds platforms where speed, determinism, and security are non-negotiable.
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With Data Exchange Layer (D.E.L.), our AMAX 70 and UNO 127 Controllers isolate safety logic from standard PLC routines - preserving real-time responses and functional independence.
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CODESYS Virtual Safe Control delivers a unified engineering environment: one tool, one workflow, to manage both safe and standard domains.
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Our system supports modular expansion, easy protocol switching, and effortless scaling - whether you’re adding a single safety device or a factory-wide upgrade.
Compare the time, cost, and risk of classic hardware-dependent safety with our virtualised model. Discover how simulation, remote diagnostics, and over-the-air safety updates can transform the way you engineer compliance.
For more info, check out our blog: CODESYS Virtual Safe Control: Simplifying Functional Safety with Containerized Automation
