My point was, they all use PC, all of them.
How they use it and what else is used with those PC' to control those machines is a looooooong subject, some add hardware for features that again uses it's own software to work and communicate with the PC, etc etc.
Or more clearly, my point was the computers are not what separates the good and the bad in those controls, it's the software UI and how good or bad the implementation between soft and hard is.
Personally, having dealt with some of those "professional" and "industrial" implementations, it still is miserable on most of them, starting with the use of windows and the base, that should have never ever been an option for anything "professional" or "industrial", but it still is to this day.
When you have some time, see if you can find how many companies have silently switched from windows to Linux, and will avoid giving any answer regarding that when asked publicly! Been over 15 years since i have done all of the above and much, much more regarding anything with "PC" in it, but the Siemens you keep mentioning was windows, was terrible in every possible way, except to people who got used to it.
I do not mind being terrible for use, every person has his or her idea of how something has to function, and even the best possible HMI will require some learning.
But i do absolutely mind those older Siemens and Kuka and DMG locking solid without any reason and having to run for the main switch.
I read somewhere that KRC4 and up use Linux so that is good for Kuka and Siemens as Siemens does software for Kuka, and Mercedes and many other companies, Siemens is so big that Microsoft made a special stripped down version of XP for them .........
It still locked at random.
DMG still proudly mentions it uses windows,...
