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.
I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting
This Tuesday morning we’ve found several new articles, products, downloads, and literature to cover in our daily roundup.
First up is a new article from the ISA and MOXA about implementing Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) in Real World Manufacturing, which you can read about here.
Next we have an article about how Emerson’s Analytics Software is helping utilities automate the monitoring and reporting for Clean-in-Place (CIP) applications, which you’ll find here.
Over on Rockwell Automation’s website, when have a rundown of their top five six customer stories from 2022, which you can read here.
On the Keyence website this week we find the announcement of a new Silhouette-based measurement system, the TM-X5000 series which you’ll find here.
I also found this Tweet from Red Lion Controls about a new N-Tron NT5000 series of gigabit network switches. Checking their website here, I didn’t find much on this new product yet, but stay tuned as we hope to have more information about this product in the coming weeks.
New to Downloads from Siemens is the latest version of the Drives Software, v5.2SP, which you can findhere.
Also new to Siemens downloads are TIA Portal Add-Ins, which you can learn about here.
As far as new literature, we have three new documents from Siemens this morning including a new manual for their ET200SP Distributed IO here.
You’ll also find the latest Operating Instructions for their Industrial Flat Panels here.
And a guide for using AWS IoT Greengrass with their IPCs here.
And that’s it for today’s Industrial Automation roundup! If you’d like to watch or listen to this morning’s show, you can do so below:
Watch the show:
The Automation Morning Show is also available on most Video and Podcasting platforms, and direct links to each can be found here.
Thanks to everyone who watched or listened today! All the links to today's news can be found on our sister site, Automate.News, and if you think we missed something, or just want to share a news tip, please do so using this link.
Vendors who'd like to sponsor our show can learn about the options we offer, as well as contact us directly, using this link.
And if you'd like to join our community and support our work, you can do so for the price of a cup of coffee each month at TheAutomationBlog.com/join.
Huge thanks to all our supporters there!
Until next time, Peace ✌️
If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.
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.
I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting
This Monday morning we have new blogs, events, and details on Studio 5000 v35.
First up is a new article from Automation Direct covering the basics of what PID Control is. While there are many such articles on the net, this one was just recently released and you can read it here.
Next up is a press release from Siemens discuss their new collaboration with 80 Acres to scale up their vertical farming, including the use of SIMATIC Automation products. You can read the entire press release here.
Over on the Aveva website (the folks behind InTouch WonderWare) we have a new blog article about the future of Industrial Automation Data, and what innovation may become the trend in 2023, which you can read all about here.
Next up are some recently announced events, including the first one we’ll highligh which is from Copia.
This coming Thursday, January 12, Copia is holding a Introductory Webinar about it’s Git based source control product as well as it’s Device Link device backup solution, and you can sign up for this free event here.
Next up is a Live Webinar on January 26 from Auvesy-MDT (the company behind “Autosave”) discussing fatalism in production and 2023 trends with STATISTA. You can learn more about this event here.
Also quickly approaching is the industry favorite trade show, ATX West. This year is seems like most of the vendors we follow will be attending the show from February 7th to 9th, and you can see a complete list of exhibitors here.On our own website we’ve just released a new article covering the highlights of what’s new in Studio5000 Logix Designer, which you’ll find here.
And that’s it for today’s Industrial Automation roundup! If you’d like to watch or listen to this morning’s show, you can do so below:
Watch the show:
The Automation Morning Show is also available on most Video and Podcasting platforms, and direct links to each can be found here.
Thanks to everyone who watched or listened today! All the links to today's news can be found on our sister site, Automate.News, and if you think we missed something, or just want to share a news tip, please do so using this link.
Vendors who'd like to sponsor our show can learn about the options we offer, as well as contact us directly, using this link.
And if you'd like to join our community and support our work, you can do so for the price of a cup of coffee each month at TheAutomationBlog.com/join.
Huge thanks to all our supporters there!
Until next time, Peace ✌️
If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.
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.
I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting
Late last year Rockwell released version 35 of Studio 5000 Logix Designer, and in today’s article I’ll cover the highlights of what’s new and updated in the latest release.
New Features:
Axis Test Mode: Feature simulates real-time motion control behavior at the axis, module, or group level, without requiring connected hardware (applies to 5380, 5480, and 5580.)
FLEXHA 5000 I/O extended redundancy
Enhanced Features:
Equipment Sequence Unit ID expanded content
Equipment Sequence controller support – instructions support Simplex and redundancy on P controllers.
Process Discrete 2-, 3-, or 4-State Device (PD4SD)
Process n-Position Device (PNPOS)
Process Mix Proof Valve (PVLVMP)
Controller Change Detection expanded for 5580 controllers
Updated device profiles – now using modern web-based Add-On Profiles
New Device Support:
AirLINE_8652 Burkert 8652 Valve Island Burkert
SPC SPC Compact High Precision Weight Sensor METTER TOLEDO
Corrected Anomalies:
Delete option not working in safety and standard connections to PowerFlex 755T drive
1756 Ethernet Bridge Module Profile delays or stops responding
Issue with online module discovery for 1756-EN4TR redundant chassis pair
PLLS instruction motor/pump demand does not align with running motors
PAI instruction Alarm value mismatch
High Deviation value High Limit can be a negative value
PAH instruction HART input values unavailable
Editing project documentation when offline prevents the controller from going online
For a complete list of New Features, New Products supported, and Anomalies, see the official product release notes.
Find out more about Logix Designer v35:
Check out our interview with Kristen Kosatka of Rockwell Automation here about what’s new with Studio 5000 Logix Designer v35.
You can also grab a copy of the release notes at Rockwell’s Product Versions webpage by searching on and selecting Studio 5000 Logix Designer, then once all the versions are listed, click on the document icon for v35:
So, what do you think of the new features of Studio 5000 Logix Designer v35?
Will you install v35 right away to access the added features and hardware support?
You can share your thoughts and opinions below in the comment area.
Until next time, Peace ✌️
If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.
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.
I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting
This Friday morning we have new articles, documents, and some Q&A on ControlLogix.
First up is and article from our friends at the ISA about Next-gen Warehouse Operations Start with Next-gen Wireless. The article discuses some of the common issues Warehouse’s run into in the post-covid world, as well as some of the challenges of using wireless in warehouses. To see the entire article, click here.
New we have anew book announcement on Automation.com. The book, New-Technology Flow Meters is by Jesse Yoder and published by CRC. Volume 1 is available now, and you can learn more about this book here.
Turck also released it’s “In Stock Product Guide” which lists all its Sensors, Connectivity Products, and Fieldbus products which customers can expect to be in stock at any given time. To grab a copy of this PDF, click here.
Next we have updated literature from Siemens detailing its ET 200SP Siwarex Weighing Module, which you can grab a copy of here.
Rockwell also released a new publication, this one its latest edition of the Studio 5000 Architect, which you can download here.
With the news and new product lit covered, I wanted to highlight a recent question that came in from one of our supporters at TheAutomationBlog.com/join. The question regarded replacing a 1756-L5x with a 1756-L6x due to the desire to add a 1756-EN2T to the system, and the complete conversation can be seen here (and is summarized in today’s edition of the morning show below.)
And that’s it for today’s Industrial Automation roundup! If you’d like to watch or listen to this mornings show, you can do so below:
Watch the show:
The Automation Morning Show is also available on most Video and Podcasting platforms, and direct links to each can be found here.
Thanks to everyone who watched or listened today! All the links to today's news can be found on our sister site, Automate.News, and if you think we missed something, or just want to share a news tip, please do so using this link.
Vendors who'd like to sponsor our show can learn about the options we offer, as well as contact us directly, using this link.
And if you'd like to join our community and support our work, you can do so for the price of a cup of coffee each month at TheAutomationBlog.com/join.
Huge thanks to all our supporters there!
Until next time, Peace ✌️
If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.
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.
I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting
This Thursday morning we have new articles, podcasts, and a couple of product announcements to discuss.
First up is the new Single Axis Motion Controller from Galil. The DMC-3x01x is Galil’s latest generation single-axis controller sporting a 32-bit RISC processor while still supporting Galil’s simplified with two-letter, intuitive commands and full set of software tools for Tuning and analysis. It also comes with two daisy-chainable Ethernet 100 Base-T ports. One 115kbaud RS232 port:
For full details about the DMC-3x01x, checkout the product pagehere.
There’s also a new article from GracePort discussing the advantages of Wireless Condition Monitoring products like GraceSense. I thought the article did a great job of explaining where and when products like these make sense, and recommend checking it out here:
While we are on the subject of products, I wanted to announce the coming end of the sale of my S7-1200 / S7-1500 Online Training course. Currently set at $99, as I work to finish up the course I will also be raising the price. So if you or someone you know needs to learn how to use and program Siemens PLCs, you may want to signup prior to the coming price increase. For full information about the course, click here.
Next up we have several podcasts, the first being just release epsiode of The Automation Podcast in which I interview Curt Anderson about how he helps Manufacturers implement eCommerce on their websites, often times paid for using Government Grants. You can view or listen to the podcast here.
Next we have the good folks from Opto 22 who recently were on The Atlas Podcast to talk about recent tech trends here.
Opto 22 also has an upcoming live show on MQTT and Sparkplug scheduled for January 11th and 18th which you can find out more about here.
Another couple of upcoming events that CAN Network users might be interested in are two from CAN in Automation, or CiA. The first is for newcomers, and the next will discuss the “Physical Layer.” To learn more, click here.
Available as an Article and Podcast is a new episode from the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) in which they discuss the Latest Industrial Automation Trends in Food Processing, which you can listen to or read here.
And our final bit of news for today is a new article from the good folks over at ISA and Automation.com which talks about using historical and conditioned based data for use in predictive analysis. To read the article, click here.
And that’s it for today’s Industrial Automation roundup! If you’d like to watch or listen to this mornings show, you can do so below:
Watch the show:
The Automation Morning Show is also available on most Video and Podcasting platforms, and direct links to each can be found here.
Thanks to everyone who watched or listened today! All the links to today's news can be found on our sister site, Automate.News, and if you think we missed something, or just want to share a news tip, please do so using this link.
Vendors who'd like to sponsor our show can learn about the options we offer, as well as contact us directly, using this link.
And if you'd like to join our community and support our work, you can do so for the price of a cup of coffee each month at TheAutomationBlog.com/join.
Huge thanks to all our supporters there!
Until next time, Peace ✌️
If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.
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.
I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting
Thanks to everyone who watched or listened today! All the links to today's news can be found on our sister site, Automate.News, and if you think we missed something, or just want to share a news tip, please do so using this link.
Vendors who'd like to sponsor our show can learn about the options we offer, as well as contact us directly, using this link.
And if you'd like to join our community and support our work, you can do so for the price of a cup of coffee each month at TheAutomationBlog.com/join.
Huge thanks to all our supporters there!
Until next time, Peace ✌️
If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.
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.
I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting
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.
I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting
Thanks to everyone who watched or listened today! All the links to today's news can be found on our sister site, Automate.News, and if you think we missed something, or just want to share a news tip, please do so using this link.
Vendors who'd like to sponsor our show can learn about the options we offer, as well as contact us directly, using this link.
And if you'd like to join our community and support our work, you can do so for the price of a cup of coffee each month at TheAutomationBlog.com/join.
Huge thanks to all our supporters there!
Until next time, Peace ✌️
If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.
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.
I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting
Shawn Tierney wraps up 2022 with a Holiday Special Episode of The Automation Podcast covering the Top Ten Episodes and Shows of 2022, as well as his plans for 2023!
For more information, check out the “Show Notes” located below the video.
Watch the Podcast:
The Automation Podcast is also available on most Video and Podcasting platforms, and direct links to each can be found here.
Special thanks to everyone who tuned into The Automation Podcast in 2022! May you and yours have a very Happy, Healthy, Prosperous, and Joy Filled New Year!
Vendors: Would you like your product featured on the Podcast, Show or Blog? If you would, please contact me at: https://theautomationblog.com/contact
Until next time, Peace ✌️
If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.
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.
I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting
Today we’re taking a look at the Top Ten episodes of The Automation Minute released since 2020.
If you don’t know, The Automation Minute is our shorter, typically under 5 minutes, videos series, where as The Automation Show is our longer format series, with episodes typically clocking in at 10 or 20 minutes.
We’ve found that this short duration format is a perfect length to answer viewers questions, or take a first look at new products.
And thanks to the growing support from industry, we had the chance to work with several new vendors to produce many new product First Looks, some of which you’ll find below in this year’s Top Ten list:
The Automation Minute
Top Ten New Episodes for 2022
Episode Awards: #1 Overall, #1 on The Automation Blog, Best of 2022
And those were the most watched new episodes of The Automation Minute for 2022!
If you have your own favorite episode you’d like to mention, or if you’d like to suggest we contact someone about covering their products on the show, please leave your comment below or use our contact form to get in touch!
That said, all of us at Insights In Automation would like to wish you a very happy, safe, and healthy Holiday Week and New Year!
Until next time, Peace ✌️
If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.
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.
I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting
Today we’re taking a look at the Top Ten episodes of The Automation Show released since 2020.
If you don’t know, The Automation Show is our longer format series, with episodes typically clocking in at 10 or 20 minutes, which is perfect for first time using and how-to videos.
And thanks to the growing support from industry, we had the chance to work with several new vendors over the last few years to produce several of our most popular shows to date, many of which you’ll find below in this year’s Top Ten list of new episodes of The Automation Show:
The Automation Show
Top Ten New Episodes for 2022
#10: ControlLogix Reading Data From PLC-5 and SLC-500 over DH Plus (S1E27)
#09:IFM Temperature Sensor: Setup, Wire, Use (S1E47)
Episode Awards: #1 Overall, #1 on YouTube, Staying Power (was #1 in 2021)
And those are the most watched new episodes of The Automation Show for 2022!
If you have your own favorite episode you’d like to mention, or if you’d like to suggest we contact someone about covering their products on the show, please leave your comment below or use our contact form to get in touch!
That said, all of us at Insights In Automation would like to wish you a very happy, safe, and healthy Holiday Week and New Year!
Until next time, Peace ✌️
If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.
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.
I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting
Thanks to our readers, this year The Automation Blog is on track to surpass its previous records for traffic, and it’s already served more unique readers in 2022 that any year since launching in 2013.
And thanks to the overwhelming support from the industry, this year we also worked with a record number of automation vendors to bring you first looks, in-depth updates, and new feature demos.
Now as we head into the final days of 2022, I wanted to share with you our Top Ten most popular articles that were published in the last twenty four months:
The Automation Blog: Top Ten New Articles For 2022
Rockwell recently released version 13.00 of FactoryTalk View Site Edition, and below I’ll summarize the new and enhanced features, as well as any corrected anomalies…
Recently one of our readers submitted a question asking for help migrating from a legacy Rockwell PLC (aka PLC-5 or SLC-500) to their new PAC lines (ControlLogix and CompactLogix.)
In his email he went on to say he needed help because he didn’t have a copy of the Project Migrator, previously called the Translation tool…
As a PLC programmer or troubleshooter, you’re already be aware of certain things such as data types.
Sometimes they may be referred to differently depending on the platform, such as in one platform a floating point data type may be refereed to as a REAL, whereas in another it may be refereed to as a FLOAT…
If you are implementing a Micro800 series PLC, there is a chance you are doing a small, standalone project that needs no communication with other devices or centralized control system, but that is not always the case.
The Micro820, 850, and 870 all come with an Ethernet port that will communicate with your existing ControlLogix or CompactLogix controllers, and allow you to integrate and share data with the rest of your system…
Time in an automation system, or rather time synchronization, is an important detail that can often be overlooked until it is needed.
When a machine goes down and you are comparing alarms between systems to understand why it went down it is extremely frustrating to have time discrepancies between systems, so in this article we discuss how to use Time Synchronization in ControlLogix…
In March of 2022, Rockwell Automation released Studio 5000 Logix Designer version Thirty-Four.
As I tend to do with each release, I recently downloaded the software, read the release notes, and set out to install and test any new features that would be relevant to me in my process control endeavors…
Sometimes it’s hard writing PLC code in LAD (ladder logic) or FBD (function block diagram). Especially, if you have to do some math work or mass operations.
In these cases you can easily use SCL/ST (Structured Control Language/Structured Text.)
Article Awards: #2 Overall, Staying Power (was #2 in 2021)
The free “RSLogix Micro Starter Lite” software I show how to download in this article only works with the MicroLogix 1000, MicroLogix 1100, and free PLC Emulator.
The only other free A-B Programming Software is for the Micro800 series of PLCs, which you can learn about here.
Article Awards: #1 Overall, Staying Power (was #1 in 2021)
And those were the most popular articles on The Automation Blog for 2022! Huge thanks to all our readers who helped make 2022 our best year yet!
If you have your own favorite article you’d like to mention, or if you’d like to suggest we cover a new topic, please leave your comment below or use our contact form to get in touch!
That said, all of us at Insights In Automation would like to wish you a very happy, safe, and healthy Holiday Week and New Year!
Until next time, Peace ✌️
If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.
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.
I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting
It’s that time of year again! At the end of each year we like to take a moment to look back to see which blogs, videos, and podcasts were the most popular with our audience, and then count them down in New Year’s Fashion.
In today’s Top Ten we’re listing the all-time most popular episodes of The Automation Podcast using the combined stats from TheAutomationBlog.com, YouTube, and Audio Podcasting platforms we publish to (iTunes, Spotify, etc.)
This year we’ve also added “Episode Awards” to call out episodes that deserve extra mention for making this year’s list:
The Automation Podcast: All-Time Top Ten Episodes For 2022
In this episode of The Automation Podcast I sit down with Yuen Li from IFM Effector to learn what IOLink is, and why you should consider using it on your next project.
Episode Awards: #1 Overall, #1 on YouTube, Staying Power & Moving Up (was #2 in 2021)
And those were the most watched/listened to episodes of The Automation Podcast for 2022!
If you have your own favorite episode you’d like to mention, or if you’d like to suggest we contact someone about coming on the show, please leave your comment below or use our contact form to get in touch!
That said, all of us at Insights In Automation would like to wish you a very happy, safe, and healthy Holiday Week and New Year!
Until next time, Peace ✌️
If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.
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.
I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting
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.
I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting
IO-Link is an open standard serial communication protocol that allows for the bi-directional exchange of data from sensors and devices that support IO-Link and are connected to a master.
The IO-Link master can transmit this data over various networks, fieldbuses, or backplane buses, making the data accessible for immediate action or long-term analysis via an industrial information system (PLC, HMI, etc).
Banner IO-Link products reduce wiring, increase data availability, enable remote configuration and monitoring, simplify device replacement, and provide extended diagnostics.”
“Banner is a key member of the IO-Link consortium. In addition to Banner, it is supported by most PLC and Industrial sensor manufacturers. Over 400 members and increasing.
Some advantages of IO-link Are:
𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙜𝙚 #𝟭: Seamless and Simple Device Replacement
With data storage mode (or backup and restore mode), the device configuration is saved on a port of the IO-link master. An operator can replace the sensor and correct device configuration loaded automatically.
𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙜𝙚 #2: Standardize and Reduce Wiring
All devices use the same unshielded cables (more often than not, these are standard M12 cables). Replacement cables/parts, now only vary by length. This means no more wiring or pinout mistakes, more cost effective and readily available cabling and much faster installation times.
𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙜𝙚 #3: IO-Link Can Replace Analog
With IO-link you can avoid costs associated with shielded cables and analog input cards. By using the IO-link process data on the device as opposed to the analog output, you can avoid Avoiding Digital to Analog and Analog to Digital conversions and provide the highest quality measurement that is robust and immune to noise. By switching to IO-link you can reduce Analog costs by 15-25%.
𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙜𝙚 #4: What about if I want to connect non-IO-link devices? Not a problem!
It’s possible to connect multiple IO-link hub blocks into the IO-Link master and each IO-Link hub can connect up to 16 discrete sensors, so up to 64 discrete sensors can be connected via a single network connection. Banner also has a broad portfolio of converters that can convert legacy signals such as 0-10V, 4-20ma, NPN, PNP and more over to IO-link.
𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙜𝙚 #5: Increased Data Availability
IO-link incorporates process, service and diagnostic data for continuous data monitoring and status diagnostics. Process Data In is the information sent from the IO-Link device to the IO-Link master repeatedly, automatically.
𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙜𝙚 #6: Read and change IO-link Device Configurations Remotely
Dynamically make changes from the control system. Complex IO-link device programming can be loaded onto a device quickly and easily. You can store configurations on the PLC and upload via IO-link based on what product being run (recipe control).
𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙜𝙚 #7: Advanced Diagnostics
You can establish maintenance tasks based on real time information. Alarms can be set to alert personnel to address a sensor before it stops working. This allows you to make decisions based on real time data and notify you if a lens is dirty or if a sensor might be overheating.
𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙜𝙚 #8: IO-link and IIOT
The availability of hugely valuable data combined with vendor independence and interoperability, make a IO-link an extremely useful tool for implementing IIOT.
Written by Sean R. Foley
Global Product Manager at Banner Engineering
Have a question? Join our community of pros to take part in the discussion! You'll also find all of our automation courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.
Sponsor and Advertise: Get your product or service in front of our 75K followers while also supporting independent automation journalism by sponsoring or advertising with us! Learn more in our Media Guide here, or contact us using this form.
I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting
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.
I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting
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.
I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting
In today’s article I’m going to share what I’ve found have been the most important things new users must know about ControlLogix before they start using these programmable controllers for the first time.
After reviewing the list, if you think something should be added or removed, please feel free to share your thoughts in the “comments section” at the bottom of this article.
Shawn testing I/O in his ControlLogix course, PAC Basics, at TheAutomationSchool.com
1) Each new ControlLogix controller must have firmware downloaded to it before it can be used.
Every time you open a new ControlLogix controller, you’ll find that it is loaded with what I would call, “v1.x boot firmware,” which essentially allows the unit to be flashed to a working firmware level. So your first step in commissioning a new controller is to Flash its firmware.
Originally, this would have to be accomplished by firing up Rockwell’s free “Control Flash” utility and then choosing and downloading a supported firmware version to your new ControlLogix controller.
But in recent years Rockwell has integrated ControlFlash into RSLogix / Studio 5000 so that you can download firmware (when needed) as part of the process of downloading a program to a new controller.
2) Each ControlLogix controller supports multiple firmware revisions (aka versions,) but you can only load one firmware revision into a controller at a time.
Just like with most electronics, each ControlLogix controller supports a range of different firmware revisions, however, no controller supports ALL revisions.
And since knowing which firmware revisions your particular controller supports is vitally important BEFORE you start creating your ControlLogix program inside of RSLogix / Studio 5000, finding out exactly which revisions your hardware supports in the next item in this list.
3) The quickest way to find which firmware revisions (aka versions) your controller supports is to look the controller up on Rockwell’s compatibility website.
There are many places where Rockwell lists hardware and firmware compatibility: The AB.com website, as well as inside product manuals, tech notes, and other literature.
If you’re using older controllers and using RSLogix 5000, the easiest place to find a compatibility listing is inside RSLogix 5000’s “release notes” in versions 20.04 and earlier.
Unfortunately, those lists were removed from newer versions of RSLogix / Studio 5000, so to find the supported firmware for these newer controllers your best option is to look up your controller’s part number (1756-L61, 1756-L73, etc.) on Rockwell’s compatibility website (link below:)
4) RSLogix 5000 or Studio 5000 Standard (or better) is required to program the ControlLogix
The lowest cost programming software Rockwell sells for the ControlLogix is RSLogix/Studio 5000 Standard, however you can use the more feature rich Full or Pro editions.
Conversely, you cannot use the “CompactLogix only” editions of Mini or Lite with a ControlLogix. For complete details, see my previous articles below:
5) Your ControlLogix’s Major Firmware Revision MUST match that of the Major Version of the Programming Software used to create your ControlLogix program.
To explain this concept of “Lock Step” compatibility between ControlLogix Hardware Major Revisions, and RSLogix/Studio 5000 Programming Software Major Versions, let’s take the example of a 1756-L73 controller which has been flashed to firmware revision 24.xx. With this firmware loaded, the ONLY version of RSLogix / Studio 5000 program the controller will accept is one created in Studio 5000 Logix Designer version 24.xx.
Alternatively, if you had a 1756-L61 Controller flashed to firmware revision 20.xx, then the ONLY program version the controller will accept is one created with with RSLogix 5000 version 20.xx.
One final note: New users often ask if the Minor Versions/Revisions of the Software and Hardware have to match, and the answer is no. In fact, in almost all cases you won’t be able to find matching minor revs because the software and hardware are updated independently as issues are found in either one or the other.
On a side note, until recently you would always need a minor firmware revision of .5 or greater if you were going to implement ControlLogix Redundancy. And as the .5 rev was often not released until a year or more after the software released, it could be quite confusing as all versions of the software have the option to enable redundancy, it just didn’t work in hardware loaded with pre .5 firmware revs.
ControlLogix Redundant System. Image by Brandon Cooper
According to Rockwell this has recently changed, and now redundancy is supported “day one” upon release of new software versions. That said, I still recommend those planning to deploy ControlLogix redundancy systems still do your research on the requirements of the version you plan to deploy.
6) Purchasing the ControlLogix Programming Software can now be done online, and you can purchase either a 1 year software lease (annual subscription,) or a lifetime (aka “perpetual”) license (currently, purchasing a “perpetual license” also requires you to purchase a 1 year support contract as well.)
For decades, buying a copy of RSLogix / Studio 5000 was a simple thing: Call your local rep, get a price, and then place your order. Then, typically in less then two weeks, you’d have a new box of CDs or DVD on your desk.
Over time things got even better when the “digital download” option was added, with orders typically being processed, and activation/download emails sent out, within four working hours.
But this changed a few years ago when Rockwell moved to selling its software online, at which time they also began offering one year software leases (aka annual subscriptions) alongside lifetime (aka perpetual) licenses with a required tech support contract.
To learn more, check out my previous article in which I cover all the current pricing, packages, and bundles:
7) You CAN install multiple versions of RSLogix and Studio 5000 on the same PC.
The nice thing about RSLogix 5000 and Studio 5000 Logix Designer is that you can install multiple versions side-by-side on the same PC.
In fact, you can install as many different versions as you’d like, going all the way back to version 10, and all the way forward to the latest release, v35. You can even install one “Pre-v10” version as well.
In my case, since I cover ALL of the controllers in my ControlLogix course, I’ve installed RSLogix 5000 versions 10, 11, 12, 13, (not 14 – was a restricted release,) 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20, along with Studio 5000 versions 21, (no 22,) 23, 24, (no 25,) 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, and hope to soon be adding v35.
This is all on the same PC, and in the same Windows OS (I run everything in a Windows 10 Pro VM.)
Now it should be noted that not all those versions are officially supported on Windows 10, but in my experience they all work well except for some minor issues with the Help System in older versions.
That said, if you did run into a problem running an old version of RSLogix on Windows 10, your best would probably be to look into virtualization (VMware, VirtualPC, etc.) which is what I’ve been doing since shortly after RSLogix 5000 came out, running VMware images for Windows XP and 7 along side my Win10 VM’s.
Click on the above image to see our previous coverage on Virtual Machines
That wraps up my “Seven things new users need to know about ControlLogix.” If you think I left something out, or have another comment, feel free to post it below in the comments area.
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.
I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting
In today’s article I’m going to take a detailed look Studio 5000 pricing, available packages and bundles, and what features are included with each as it stands today.
Studio 5000 Mini: Ladder Logix only for CompactLogix only
The “Mini” edition of Studio 5000 Logix Designer only programs the “CompactLogix” family of controllers, and only in the “Ladder Logic” programming language.
While you can purchase the other languages (FBD, SFC, ST, and Safety Editor) separately as add-ons, it’s often cheaper to buy the next package in this list, Studio 5000 Lite.
Officially, Rockwell states this and all editions of Studio 5000 also includes View Designer (for PanelView 5000 HMIs.)
Below are the current prices for Studio 5000 Mini as found on Rockwell’s website in December of 2022. Note that if you need versions prior to 20.05, you’ll need to purchase the more expensive “Lite Legacy” edition as there is no Legacy option for the Mini edition:
Studio 5000 Lite: Multiple Languages for CompactLogix only
The “Lite” edition of Studio 5000 is identical to the “Mini” edition in the fact that it can only program the “CompactLogix” family of programmable controllers, but it differs in the fact that it also includes support for the Multi-Language Pack (PN# 9324-RLDMLPE) adding Function Block Diagram (FBD,) Structured Text (ST,) and Sequential Function Chart (SFC) programming languages.
According to Rockwell’s website It also includes the Compact GuardLogix safety program editor as well, and View Designer (for PanelView 5000 HMIs.)
Below are the current prices for Studio 5000 Lite as found on Rockwell’s website in December of 2022. Note that if you need versions prior to 20.05, you’ll need to purchase the more expensive “Legacy” edition:
Studio 5000 Standard: Ladder Logix only, for ControlLogix and CompactLogix
The original version of RSLogix 5000, the “Standard” edition, supports “Ladder Logic” programming of all Logix based controllers, including ControlLogix, CompactLogix, FlexLogix, DriveLogix, and SoftLogix.
In more recent years, Studio 5000 Standard and higher now comes with a copy of RSLogix Architect (PN# 9326-LGXARCHENE,) and all editions of Studio 5000 include View Designer (for PanelView 5000 HMIs.)
While you can purchase many of the other languages (FBD, SFC, ST, Safety Editor, etc.) separately as add-ons, I recommend looking at the next package, RSLogix 5000 Full, before making a decision as it will likely be the cheaper option.
Below are the current prices for Studio 5000 Standard as found on Rockwell’s website in December of 2022. Note that if you need versions prior to 20.05, you’ll need to purchase the more expensive “Legacy” edition. There’s also a Networxs bundle if you need RSNetworxs for DeviceNet, ControlNet, and Ethernet/IP.
Studio 5000 Full: Multiple Languages for ControlLogix and CompactLogix
The “Full” version of Studio5000 has all the features of the “Standard” edition, but also includes the Multi-Language Pack (PN# 9324-RLDMLPE) adding Function Block Diagram (FBD,) Structured Text (ST,) and Sequential Function Chart (SFC) programming languages.
According to Rockwell’s website it also includes the GuardLogix safety program editor, Phase Manager (PN# 9324-RLDPME,) Sequence Manager, and the PIDE Autotuner (PN# 9323-ATUNEENE, only for use with v16 to v32) and well as View Designer (for PanelView 5000 HMIs.)
This is by far the package I would recommend to users who need to program ControlLogix controllers and who are not eligible for an Integrator, Machine Builder, or Educational Toolkit.
Below are the current prices for Studio 5000 Full as found on Rockwell’s website in December of 2022. Note that if you need versions prior to 20.05, you’ll need to purchase the more expensive “Legacy” edition:
Studio 5000 Professional: Full Ed. plus Networxs, Emulate, & Data Exchange
The “Pro” version of Studio 5000 has all the features of the “Full” edition, but adds the Studio 5000 Emulate, Studio 5000 Data Exchange, as well as RSNetworx for DeviceNet, ControlNet, and EtherNet/IP.
Below are the current prices for Studio 5000 Prol as found on Rockwell’s website in October of 2021. Note that if you need versions prior to 20.05, you’ll need to purchase the more expensive “Legacy” edition:
Studio 5000 Service Edition: A “view only” package (discontinued)
Need to go online with a “Logix” based PAC (ControlLogix, CompactLogix, FlexLogix, DriveLogix, and SoftLogix) but don’t need to modify the code?
If that’s the case in the past you could consider the “Service Edition” of RSLogix / Studio 5000. It allowed you to monitor RSLogix/Studio 5000 ACD files offline or online, permitted they are v12 or later. It also allowed for uploading and downloading programs, but that feature could be disabled if needed.
Unfortunately, as of today (12/01/22) this option is no longer available online.
UPDATE: Dean wrote in (see below) that distributors can still order Studio 5000 Service Editon for customers, and those with a Tech Support contract can learn more in this tech note here.
Studio 5000 Service Edition Pricing:
Option 1: 9324-RLD000ENE, $889.15. Per Dean’s comment below on 08-19-2023, this package is still available from your local A-B Distributor*, however it is not available on the Rockwell website.
Original article’s perpetual w/ legacy & physical media, PN# 9324-RLD000NXENE
$677.00 (Price as of 10-16-13)(Package no longer available*)
Hopefully you found this rundown of Studio 5000 prices, packages, features, and bundles helpful!
If you’d like to look up the latest prices yourself, start by heading over to Rockwell’s ecommerce site here, create a free account (if you don’t already have one,) and click on “Studio 5000 Automation Engineering & Design Environment” near the bottom of the product list.
Until next time, Peace ✌️
If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.
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.
I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting
You must be logged in to post a comment.