PLC vs DCS in process control-the distinction is fading

It is argued that with the advent of new software tools, which provide integrated process control programming to the programmable logic control (PLC) and ladder logic programming to the distributed control system (DCS), the issue of which is appropriate must be made on a project by project basis. The consideration is no longer one of how many digital inputs and outputs there are versus the number of analog I/O points. It is to be based instead on price, type of operator interface and the complexity of functionality, and degree of local support