Glossary · Automation fundamentals, platforms and components
Multi-core architecture
Also known as: Multicore processor
German: Multi-Core-Architektur
In computing, a multi-core architecture is a processor design with two or more independent processing cores on one chip, which can execute tasks in parallel.
- Automation components
In one sentence
A multi-core architecture has two or more processing cores on one chip that can execute tasks in parallel.
Example
On an industrial PC, one core is reserved for the real-time PLC runtime while the other cores run the HMI and Windows.
How it applies
- Engineering: Multi-core processors let control, motion, HMI and communication run on separate cores. Core isolation and hypervisors help preserve real-time behavior.
- Verification: Shared caches, memory and buses cause interference between cores, which makes worst-case timing harder to prove, especially for safety-related software.
- Documentation: Document core assignment and the timing measured under full load. Technical data should not imply that more cores automatically mean faster or deterministic control.
- Maintenance: Replacing a processor with one that has a different core count may change timing and requires re-testing.
Multi-core vs. multitasking
Multitasking means managing several tasks, which is possible on a single core by switching between them. Multi-core hardware allows true parallel execution. Programs that share data across cores need careful synchronization.