While Rockwell’s Micro800 line of programmable controllers does include support for instructions you won’t find in RSLogix, it’s lacking one big feature that many RSLogix users have come to rely on.
Specifically I’m referring to the ability to use math instructions with dissimilar data types.
Personally, I find this kind of odd. Going back as far as I remember, A-B PLC math instructions always supported mixed data types.
Whether it’s the PLC-5, SLC-500, MicroLogix or Logix (Control/Compact/Flex/Soft) line, they all had this feature.
In those PLCs, if you wanted to divide one Integer by another, and put the result into a Floating point register, you just did it.
Really, it’s as easy as: DIV N7:0 N7:1 F8:0 in RSLogix 5, 500, and Micro.
And in RSLogix/Studio 5000 it’s nearly identical: DIV N7.0 N7.1 F8.0
But when you start performing math with mixed data types in the Micro800, the cryptic error message, “expecting ‘x’ data type,” will lead you to the fact that the Micro800 does not support math with mixed data types directly.
Instead, you’ll need to use one of the many “ANY_TO” instructions to convert your incoming variables into the same data type as your outgoing (or resultant) variable.
And while this may be common with many (if not most) other PLCs on the market, it does happen to be one part of programming with CCW that isn’t as intuitive as RSLogix.
That said, I’m curious if you found this article interesting or helpful?
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In the mean time, if you know anyone who would like to learn to setup and program the Micro800 line of programmable controllers, please share this link to my course with them: Nano Basics Course
I hope you found this free article and video interesting and/or helpful.
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Until next time, Peace ✌️
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Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator
Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.
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