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Ethernet Basics: Addressing

By
Shawn Tierney
-

In yesterday’s article I covered the basics of Ethernet cabling, hubs and switches.

In today’s article I’ll cover the essential Ethernet basics of IP Addressing, including Host IDs, Subnet Masks, Default Gateways, and Reserved Addresses.

Ethernet IPv4 Address and Subnet Mask Basics:

Those familiar with bits and bytes will have an advantage in this discussion as the standard IPv4 Address and Subnet Mask are each made up of four bytes (also known as octets.)

And while it’s true the networking industry is moving to IPv6 (represented by Eight groups of Four hexadecimal digits, aka Eight 16 bit groups) IPv4 is still the most commonly used scheme for home, office, and controls networks.

MicroLogix-1400-LCD-ENETcfg-Menu-IP-Static-SN-Entry-1The first thing to understand about IPv4 Addresses is that each address contains two pieces of information, which are identified using a Subnet Mask.

In simple terms, the high bits represent the “Subnet” aka (“NetID” or network number) and the remaining low bits represent the “Host ID” (aka “host identifier” or device address.)

To separate the Host ID from the Subnet, we simply perform a “Bitwise AND” between the IP Address and Subnet Mask.

If, for example, you had an IP Address of 192.168.1.5 and Subnet Mask of 255.255.255.0, the result of a “Bitwise AND” of the two reveals the Subnet is 192.168.1, and the Host ID is 5.

How do I know that?

For those unfamiliar with Bit Masking, I like to compare it “Painting Masks” you see road crews use, or the “Stencils” used to make signs.

Each insure only a certain area is painted, which is similar to a Bit Mask which insures only certain bits are passed through while others are filtered out.

For clarity’s sake, let me show how a “Bitwise AND” works by laying out an IP Address and Subnet Mask bit by bit.

Below, you’ll see I’ve converted our above example addresses (IP Address of 192.168.1.5, Subnet Mask of 255.255.255.0) into binary format:

Our IP Address in binary equals:    11000000-10101000-00000001-00000101
Our Subnet Mask in binary equals: 11111111-11111111-11111111-00000000

When we Mask (aka “Bitwise AND”) our IP Address using our Subnet Mask, we only pass through the bits of the IP Address for which the Subnet Mask has a 1:

11000000 10101000 00000001 00000101 = 192.168.001.5 = IP Address
11111111 11111111  11111111 00000000 = 255.255.255.0 = Subnet Mask
——————————————————————–
11000000 10101000 00000001 00000000 = 192.168.001.0 = Subnet

And whatever bits the Subnet Mask does not pass is our Host ID

11000000 10101000 00000001 00000101 = 192.168.001.5 = IP Address
11111111 11111111  11111111 00000000 = 255.255.255.0 =  Subnet Mask
——————————————————————–
00000000-00000000-00000000-00000101 = 000.000.000.5 =  Host ID

So as seen above, an IP Address of 192.168.1.5 and Subnet Mask of 255.255.255.0 results in a Subnet of 192.168.1, and a Host ID of 5.

For more about Bitwise ANDing see this article HERE.

You’ll probably notice that with a Subnet Mask of 255.255.255.0, also known as a Class C mask, the Subnet takes up the first three bytes (or octets) of the IP Address.

This only leaves one byte for the Host ID, which in turn limits our Host ID to a range of 0 to 255, for a total of 256 available Host IDs (before considering the reserved addresses we’ll cover later.)

Only having 256 Host IDs available for network devices is typically not a problem in a home or small office, but it’s obviously not enough for large facilities or networks.

To address this, we could simply use Subnet Mask of 255.255.0.0 (Class B,) which would leave us potentially more than 65,000 (256×256) Host IDs.

If you’d like to learn more about Subnet Masks and Classes, check out this article HERE.

Why Subnets are Important

Most of us know that each device on our Ethernet network needs a unique IP Addess.

But many don’t understand that Ethernet devices can only communicate with other Ethernet devices on the same Subnet (unless there is a Router bridging Subnets – more on that later.)

Put another way, if you have a Switch and two wired Ethernet devices, for the two devices to communicate they (1) not only need to be wired to the Switch, they (2) also need to logically be on the same Subnet.

For example, let’s say we have two devices wired to a single Switch, and give one an IP Address of 192.168.1.5, and the other an IP Address of 192.168.1.6. And we give both of them a Subnet Mask of 255.255.255.0.

In that example, the two devices would be able to communicate with each other because they both sit on the same 192.168.1 Subnet, as shown below:

IP Address AND Subnet Mask    = Subnet
192.168.1.5 AND 255.255.255.0   = 192.168.1
192.168.1.6 AND 255.255.255.0   = 192.168.1

That said, if I changed the second device’s IP Address to 192.168.2.6, it would no longer be able to communicate with the first device (and vice versa) because, even while they are physically connected to the same switch, logically they are now on two different Subnets (192.168.1 vs. 192.168.2) as shown below:

IP Address AND Subnet Mask    = Subnet
192.168.1.5 AND 255.255.255.0   = 192.168.1
192.168.2.6 AND 255.255.255.0   = 192.168.2

But, if I then changed both their Subnet Masks to 255.255.0.0, they would be able to communicate again as they would again be on Subnet again, as shown below:

IP Address AND Subnet Mask  = Subnet
192.168.1.5 AND 255.255.0.0    = 192.168
192.168.2.6 AND 255.255.0.0    = 192.168

What if my devices are on different Subnets?

If you have devices on different Subnets that need communicate with each other, you’re going to need to add a Router (aka Bridge, Gateway) to your system.

Simply put, a Router “routes” traffic between different Subnets.

But even with a Router correctly setup AND configured to bridge two (or more) networks, there is still one more thing you must do to insure your two devices can communicate with each other!

That is that both devices also need to have the Router’s address set as their Default Gateway address.

This basically tells the device where to send messages to when the message’s address is not on the same Subnet.

Put another way, in the example where I had one device set to 192.168.1.5 / 255.255.255.0, and the other device set to 192.168.2.6 / 255.255.255.0, each Device knew it could not directly message the other because they were logically on different Subnets.

But if I had installed and configured a Router to be connected to each Subnet, and I set each devices Default Gateway as the Router’s local address, then a message sent from one device to the other should be bridged between the two subnets by the Router.

However, without a correctly setup and configured Router to bridge those two Subnets, or without correctly inputting the Router’s address in each device’s “Default Gateway” setting, the two devices would not be able to communicate.

For more about Routers, check out this article HERE.

Reserved Subnets and Host IDs

Now that we’ve covered IP Addresses, Subnet Masks, and Default Gateways, I want to wrap up this article by talking about reserved Subnets and Addresses.

With IPv4 there are three ranges of IP Addresses that have been reserved for private use.

Private Use means that no devices directly connected to the Internet will ever use these address ranges, thus making them available for use in internal private networks (aka Intranets) in homes and businesses.

These ranges are:

10.0.0.0       – 10.255.255.255       (1 Class A network)
172.16.0.0   – 172.31.255.255     (16 Class B networks)
192.168.0.0 – 192.168.255.255  (256 Class C networks)

Some other reserved ranges also include:

169.254.0.0  – 169.254.255.255

This range is used when no server is available to Boot-P or DHCP clients requesting an address.

When no address is received, client devices supporting auto-assigned addresses will randomly pick an IP Address from this range so it can communicate with other devices in the same situation.

127.0.0.0     – 127.255.255.255

This range is reserved for local hosts, aka loopback addresses, and you can typically ping your own computer using an address of 127.0.0.1.

For more information about Private Networks, check out this article HERE.

Reserved Host IDs

As far as reserved Host IDs, the below list can be used as rule of thumb (especially with Class C networks)

x.x.x.0     The network address/represents the network. Should Not be assigned to devices
x.x.x.1     Typically used for the Subnets Router / Bridge / Gateway device
x.x.x.254 Many reserve this address for Routers or Switches which need their own Host ID
x.x.x.255 The network broadcast address. Should Not be assigned to devices

Well, those are what I see as the most important Ethernet Addressing Basics everyone should know.

If you think I should have added something else, or have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please feel free to post the by clicking on the “Click here to post a comment or question” link below.

You can also check out our other Ethernet articles using the links below my signature (coming soon.)

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.

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.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

Ethernet Basics: Hardware

By
Shawn Tierney
-
EthernetIP booth at Automation Fair 2013

One of the best courses I took back in the 90’s was an Ethernet Networking course.

At the time I was already familiar with DH+, DH-485, and RIO, and like most people I connected to the Internet through a dial-up service like AOL.

Fast forward twenty years, and now most of us access our automation systems, control I/O, and surf the Web via Ethernet.

But while we all may be using Ethernet, I was recently reminded that some folks could still use a primer on Ethernet basics.

So in today’s article I’ll cover what I consider the essential wired Ethernet hardware basics, while also providing links for those who’d like to learn more.

Wired Ethernet Cabling

When Ethernet first became commercially available in the early 1980’s, it used coaxial cable (aka “coax”) similar to what Cable TV uses.

The original thick cable was known as 10BASE5, while the later thin coax was known as 10BASE2.

EthernetIP booth at Automation Fair 2013Coax is a shared “broadcast” medium, which means only one network device could successfully transmit a message (aka frames of a stream of data) at a time.

When two devices tried to transmit at the same time, it would lead to a transmission “collision.”

These “collisions” typically resulted in no usable data being received by any of the intended destination devices.

To address this, a scheme known as CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection) was implemented.

It not only reduced the chances of multiple devices attempting to transmit at the same time, when a collision did occur it attempted to resolve it by instructing the transmitters to each wait a random time interval before trying to re-transmit.

For a more detailed explanation of how CSMA/CD works, check out this article HERE.

One downside of using coax was that a single break in the physical network would result in network devices becoming disconnected from each other.

This would often disconnect users on one side of the network break from devices they needed access to, like printers and file servers, on the other side of the break.

For this and other reasons, most of the industry moved to the “Star” based networks we use today.

Unlike 10BASE5 and 10BASE2, where all devices were connected to one single “trunkline,” in Star networks all devices are wired directly to a central device like an Ethernet Hub or Switch.

The advantage being that the failure of a single device cable doesn’t take the entire network down.

The point-to-point cables used in these early Star networks used multi-conductor Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) cabling, which became standardized as 10BASE-T (and later succeeded by 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T and 10GBASE-T.)

Today we know these point-to-point UTP cables as Ethernet Patch Cables, and most modern patch cables meet either the Category 5E (1GB) or 6 (10GB) standards.

For more about Ethernet Patch Cables including pinouts and wiring, check out this article HERE.

Hubs and Switches

Star based networks require central, multi-port repeaters to accept and rebroadcast Ethernet transmissions received from devices.

Early on, most installations used simple “Ethernet Hubs” which basically re-transmitted any message received on any port to all the other ports.

This limited functionality made Ethernet Hubs simple and cheap to produce, but also made them inefficient in some applications as rebroadcasting every transmission to every port did nothing to mitigate collisions.

Because of this, over time Hubs were replaced with what we now call “Layer 2 Ethernet Switches.”

With a “layer 2” Switch, the first time a transmission is received with a new destination, it is re-transmitted out every other port much like a Hub.

But a Switch also takes note of the port the device that accepted the message is connected

to, so future messages intended for that device can be routed directly to its port without being broadcast to all the other ports.

This is accomplished in part by tracking the unique identifier, known as a Hardware or MAC (media access control) address, of each device connected to the Switch.

MicroLogix-1100-MAC-IP-FiA device’s MAC address is typically assigned by the manufacturer when the product is made, and consists of six groups of two hexadecimal digits separated by colons, as shown in the example below:

  • 00:11:22:AA:BB:CC

Note: You can learn more about MAC addresses in the article HERE.

The ability of “layer 2” Ethernet Switches to route messages directly to their destinations using MAC addresses greatly eliminates the number of collisions that are unavoidable with an Ethernet Hub.

For more details about Switches, check out this article HERE.

Ethernet/IP I/O Considerations

As early adopters of Ethernet/IP Distributed I/O know, not all traffic can be handled efficiently with a standard “layer 2” Ethernet Switch.

This includes Multicast traffic using Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP,) which was initially how most (if not all) Ethernet/IP Distributed I/O was controlled.

When a standard “layer 2” Switch encounters IGMP Multicast traffic, it has no ability to identify the destination of the traffic since Multicast messages don’t use MAC address as destinations.

So without the ability to route Multicast traffic, a standard “layer 2” Switch reverts to the effective but wholly inefficient solution of rebroadcasting the Multicast traffic to all ports.

To address this issue without requiring users to upgrade to more expensive Switches supporting all “layer 3” functionality, many industrial switch manufacturers simply added “IGMP Snooping and Querying” to their “layer 2” Switches.

The “IGMP Snooping and Querying” feature provides Switches with the ability to “listen in” or “snoop on” IGMP traffic, as well as maintain a table of which ports need which traffic, so the Switch can effectively route that traffic to the correct ports.

For more information on IGMP Snooping and Querying, see this article HERE.

Well, those are what I see as the most important wired Ethernet basics everyone should know.

If you think I should have added something else, or have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please feel free to post the by clicking on the “Click here to post a comment or question” link below.

You can also check out our other Ethernet articles using the links below my signature (coming soon.)

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.

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.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

SLC-500 – Modular Style Controller Image Gallery

By
Shawn Tierney
-

Here’s an image gallery of all five models of SLC-500 Modular Controllers.

Have a question or comment?

If you do, you can post it by clicking on the comment link below my signature.

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.

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.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

The Automation Blog's SLC-500 Library

Hardware
Cables and Adapters
Communications
Software
Messaging
Connecting HMIs
Migration
Samples:
Learning and Discussion:

SLC-500 – Modular Style Controllers

By
Shawn Tierney
-

The SLC-500 family of Programmable Logic Controllers was quite popular when it launched in the early nineties.

The most obvious reason was that it was smaller and less expensive than A-B’s flagship product at the time, the PLC-5.

The SLC-500 also programmed with software and instructions nearly identical to the PLC-5.

That said, the first controllers released in the SLC-500 line were just mere shadows of the PLC-5…

The 5/01 and Fixed Controllers: Modular and Brick 

The first controller to come out for SLC-500 modular systems was the 5/01.

It launched in a 1K memory version (1747-L511,) which was quickly followed by a 4K version (1747-L514.)

While the L514 used battery backed memory, the L511 had capacitor backed memory with the option to use a battery.

Both 5/01 models were said to be capable of controlling up to 3840 digital I/O points across a maximum of 3 I/O Chassis and 30 I/O Slots.

These processors had an average scan time of 8ms per 1K of program, and supported 52 Ladder Logic instructions.

They both came with a DH-485 programming port that accepted an RJ45 style connector, a connector most readers today will associate with Ethernet cables.

It’s important to note that all SLC-500’s with a native DH-485 RJ45 style port also provide power via that port for accessories like the original Hand Held Programmer (1747-PT1) as well as the DH-485 Link Coupler (1747-AIC.)

Note: Please avoid plugging Ethernet device into SLC-500 DH-485 ports as it could damage your device and/or SLC.

SLC-5/01s could be programmed through their DH-485 port using either a Hand Held Terminal (a 1747–PTA1E installed in a 1747–PT1) or the SLC-500 version of Rockwell’s 6200 software known as APS (Advanced Programming Software, 1747-PA2E.)

Icom also release a version of it’s popular A.I. (Advanced Interface) programming software for the SLC-500, called “PLC–500 A.I. Series Software.”

While the 5/01 could communicate over a DH-485 network, it was only able to “respond” to messages sent it from either a PC or future SLC-500 controllers (5/02, 5/03, etc)

As far as the Fixed SLC-500’s are concerned, they shared all the same specs as the 1747-L511, except each had a limited number of build-in I/O points, and accepted a single two slot I/O expansion chassis.

The 5/02: Faster and More Powerful

The next SLC-500 controller to come out was the SLC-5/02.

This processor was similar to the L514 as it had 4K of battery backed memory and a DH-485 communications port.

But it differed from the L514 in that it executed it’s programs much faster (4.8ms/K,) and could initiate DH-485 network messages as well as respond to them.

The 5/02 also supported up to 4096 I/O points across 3 chassis and 30 slots.

But the biggest new features of the 5/02 included it’s 19 additional ladder logic instructions, one of which was the first iteration of a SLC-500 PID instruction.

The 5/02 was also the first SLC-500 to support Indexed Addressing, Interrupts, User Fault Routines, and the ability to handle 32 bit signed math functions.

The 5/03: Online Editing and a whole lot more

In my opinion, the SLC-500 really hit it’s stride with the release of the SLC-5/03.

This was the first SLC-500 to incorporate many of the PLC-5’s features including Online Programming and Editing, as well as a Run Mode Switch on the face of the controller.

And in addition to the DH-485 port, it also had a user friendly RS-232 9 Pin D-Shell port which could be used for programming via the DF1 Full Duplex protocol, or used in SCADA Master/Slave systems with DF1 Half Duplex protocol, or used with ASCII instructions to read and write to ASCII devices like Bar Code Readers and Serial Printers.

While the 5/03 initially only came in a 16K version (L532,) over time an 8K (1747-L531) and 32K (1747-L533) were added to the product line.

All three models had battery backed memory, and an average scan time of 1ms per 1K or program.

The SLC-5/03 controllers also included a real-time clock, 2MS STI (Selectable Timed Interrupt) .5ms DII (Discrete Input Interrupt), as well as true Indirect Addressing.

As far as instructions, the SLC-5/03 supported 99, including advanced math features like trigonometric and exponential instructions, as well as a more advanced PID instruction.

The 5/03’s were also the first SLC-500s to support upgrades through flash firmware, as well as new instructions like the CPT “Compute” instruction, and support for the Floating Point data type (i.e. F8:0.)

The 5/04: Can I get Data Highway Plus with that?

As the SLC-500 become more popular, many facilities wanted to add them to their existing Data Highway Plus networks (as opposed to building a second DH-485 network.)

With that in mind, the SLC-5/04 was born.

Nearly identical to the SLC-5/03, the 5/04 came with a Data Highway Plus (DH+) port in place of a DH-485 port, and it supported all three DH+ baud rates (57.6K, 115.K, and 230.4K.)

Note: If you’re thinking that should be 56K and not 57.6K, you’re not alone! Many people get that DH+ baud rate mixed up with the fast 56K dial-up modems of the time 😉

The SLC-5/04 would also eventually come in three memory sizes: 16K (L541,) 32K (L542,) and 64K (L543.)

Aside from being slightly faster than the SLC-5/03 by scanning 1K of program in just .9ms, most all of the other 5/04 specs are the same as the 5/03.

The 5/05: Ethernet Please!

As Rockwell’s own documentation states, the SLC-5/05 provides identicle functionality as the SLC-5/04, but with an Ethernet Port in place the DH+ port.

Initially the 5/05’s 10BaseT RJ45 Ethernet Port only supported 10Mbps, but with the release of the Series C hardware, Rockwell added 100 Mbps support as well.

So what did you think of the above overview of SLC-500 controllers?

Did I miss anything, or do you have a question about something I wrote?

If you do, you can let me know by clicking on the comment link below my signature.

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.

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.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

The Automation Blog's SLC-500 Library

Hardware
Cables and Adapters
Communications
Software
Messaging
Connecting HMIs
Migration
Samples:
Learning and Discussion:

Share Your Knowledge

By
Shawn Tierney
-

2024 Update:

Hey all, Shawn here with an update about article submissions.

After reviewing what worked and what didn’t over the last ten years, I’ve found that one place my company was generating negative revenue was with classic article publication. After looking at the numbers it was obvious that in the current state of the industry I’m unable to recoup the costs of publishing new, free how-to blogs.

So with that in mind, I’m currently not accepting or purchasing new articles for publication on this site. That could change in the future if the industry shifts its focus from legacy media, but until that time if you have questions about this change of policy feel free to reach out to me by using the links in the top menu.

Sincerely, Shawn Tierney.

Original Article: Automation Professionals, Integrators, and Vendors: You’re invited to share your knowledge and expertise on TheAutomationBlog.com!

Since 2013, The Automation Blog has become known as a great place to learn about industrial automation products.

From how-to articles and videos, to covering new product releases, our goal has always been to publish articles that help users of industrial automation products.

That said, there’s only so much one automation geek (me) can do on his own, especially when my expertise lies within just a few product categories.

And when you consider the vast number of automation products that come out each and every year, it’s really more than any one man could ever purchase and cover all by himself.

So with that in mind, I’m writing this article reach out to everyone from individual Automation Professionals to OEMs, Integrators, and Vendors, inviting you to join me in sharing your automation knowledge and experience!

Automation Professionals

Many of us share what we know simply because we love helping other people!

And a huge benefit of sharing your knowledge on The Automation Blog is that your content will reach over twenty seven thousand of your colleagues!

The content you publish here also becomes “social proof” of your own expertise, which can be a valuable way to distinguish yourself.

To see some of the latest articles our existing freelancers have written, check out the listing of their articles HERE.

And to get in contact with us about becoming a guest blogger (free.) or freelance writer (paid,) please submit this form.

System Integrators, OEMs, and Product Specialists

Most automation professionals I know enjoy reading about how others have implemented automation in their own applications.

That’s why I think it makes sense for SIs, OEMs, and Specialists to share their own stories of solving applications and resolving issues.

Those who do benefit from the free publicity as well as demonstrate to a our audience that they have what it takes to successfully complete these applications.

An example of this is Jeffrey Turcotte’s article sharing his experience at PLC Concepts Upgrading Legacy Winder and Slitter Positioning Control Systems.

To get in contact with us about becoming a guest blogger (free,) or freelance writer (paid,) please submit this form.

Automation Vendors

Since so many new products come out every year, I want to invite Automation Vendors to contact me directly about working together to cover your products on The Automation Blog, Show, and Podcast.

This includes sharing “helpful” articles about your products, as well as having you come on our Vlog/Podcast to go over your product lines.

For more information about our guest blog post requirements, click here. And to contact us about sending in a guest article, please click here.

As far as our vlog/podcast, early example episodes included Alain Moisan demoing his new product, SkyCAD, as well as Peter Henderson from Control Plus discussing his ControlLogix mobile app.

To see a list of our most recent podcasts, click here. And to get in touch with us about coming on the podcast, please contact us here.

If you’re able to send us samples of your products, we can publish impressions, reviews, and how-to guides on them.

Early examples include our article and video on setting up and using a USB to DH+ converter provided to us by good folks over at Automation Networks, as well as our videos on Real-Time Automation‘s gateway which you’ll find here and here.

To get in touch with us about sending in samples, please contact us here.

Educational Institutions and Event Organizers

Last but not least, I want to reach out to instructors who cover industrial automation at Tech Schools, Colleges, and Universities.

I’ve lost count of how many times End Users have told me that there are no schools or colleges teaching young people how to setup and use industrial automation products.

But that statement directly conflicts with what my instructor connections tell me about the great work they’re doing bringing the next generation up to speed on automation.

So I want to reach out to instructors and education institutions to invite you to get the word out about your automation programs right here at The Automation Blog.

That’s what the University of California in Irving did when they shared a story about their entry for a HyperLoop Desgin.

And what École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne did in their article about Robots Defeating Humans at Foosball.

I also want to invite organizations holding competitions and events to share their stories, like the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society did in their Automation Ergonomics Research Contest article.

To get in contact with us about becoming a guest blogger, please submit this form.

How To Get Started

If you’d like to submit an article:

If you’d like to publish an article on The Automation Blog, first be sure it meets our three simple rules below, and then contact us using the form at the bottom of this page here.

If you’d like to submit hardware, or be interviewed:

If you’d like to submit sample or loaner hardware for us to use in impression, review, and how-to articles, or if you’d like to be interviewed about your products, please contact me directly using this form here.

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.

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.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

Automation Fair 2018: Are You Going?

By
Shawn Tierney
-
Automation Fair Show Floor Entrance

One of my connections recently reached out to ask if I planned on attending Automation Fair this year, which got me wondering if you plan on attending?

What and When is Automation Fair?

If you don’t already know, Automation Fair is Rockwell Automation’s annual trade show and training event, and this year it’s being held on November 14–15, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (you can register for free here.)

Rockwell describes it as, “the premier industrial automation event offering unmeasurable knowledge and skill-building opportunities in just two days.”

Having been to nearly twenty of the shows myself (links to my pictures from 2013, 2014, and 2016) I would describe it as, “a free, Rockwell centric, industrial automation trade show which also includes dozens of free training sessions and technical presentations.”

Note: For all of the details about this year’s Automation Fair, check out Rockwell’s 2018 pre-show guide here.

Automation-Fair-2011-02

Who’s a good fit?

In my opinion, Automation Fair is a great way for those new to industrial automation, or new to Rockwell’s automation products, to (1) see the breath and depth of the products and services Rockwell and her partners offer, and (2) get some free hands-on training.

I typically suggest these attendees focus on getting into as many free training sessions as appropriate to their needs, and then fill in any open time touring the show floor.

Another good fit for Automation Fair are those who are planning new automation projects and need to get up to speed on the latest and greatest offering from Rockwell and her partners.

This includes any users who are considering migrating to Rockwell’s current product offering.

Those is this category can often work with their local sales people to schedule one-on-one meetings with Rockwell factory personnel to discuss their applications and any concerns.

Having sat through many of these meetings myself, I will say that they can be of great value to End Users, OEMs, and System Integrators alike.

One final type of user who may find Automation Fair helpful are those who need Rockwell to modify or enhance a product to better work in their own applications.

In the past I’ve witnessed customers make cases for things as varied as ATEX certification and food grade stainless steel HMI bezels, to software feature requests ranging from node disabling in RSLinx, to View Studio prompts to save unsaved work before allowing the application to close.

Not that meeting product managers at Automation Fair is the only way to provide feedback to Rockwell, but it might be the best way to be sure the factory actually receives your feedback. (I’m restraining myself here from discussing my thoughts on vendors who ignore customer emails 😉

Automation Fair 2014 10 Show SloorSo What About Me?

As long time user and fan of Rockwell Automation’s products, I know I would enjoy attending the show and bumping into the countless former colleagues, customers, and vendor reps I’ve worked with over the last thirty years.

And who doesn’t like to gawk at new products, or drink free beer at a vendor’s hospitality suite?

But as a self-employed blogger and instructor, the question really becomes one of actual value to my business.

When I attended Automation Fair back in 2016, I found there really wasn’t anything I could learn being there in person that I couldn’t also learn from Rockwell’s Automation Fair website after the show.

I’m mean, no potential secretes I might learn about future products would be appropriate to write about here on The Automation Blog.

And none of free training offered at the show is aimed at a thirty year veteran like myself.

So as it stands now, while I plan to thoroughly cover the news coming out of Automation Fair 2018 (just as I’ve covered the past five events,) with no obvious advantage to attending in person my current plan it to cover this year’s show from my home office up here in the Berkshires.

What About You?

So, what about you?

Do you fall into one of the categories I mentioned above, or into a different one I failed to mention?

Or is there another trade show or event that you plan on attending instead?

If you’re inclined to share you thoughts please do so by clicking on the “comment” link below my signature. UPDATE: Comments are now open 😉

Until next time – Peace!

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.

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.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

SLC-500 – Is it still viable in 2018? (Q&A)

By
Shawn Tierney
-
SLC-500 Brochure Cover

I recently received a message from someone who had just purchased a used machine with a SLC-500 based control system on it.

SLC-500 FamilyBecause most of his existing systems use simple relay controls, the new owner of the machine was reaching out to me about training on the SLC-500, as well as to ask several questions which all boiled down to, “Is the SLC-500 still viable?”

I believe the reason for that question was due in large part to the fact that when he tried to get support for the SLC-500, he felt the local rep was only interested in selling him an upgrade to ControlLogix.

So today’s question is, “Is the SLC-500 still viable?”

To be frank, if you’re building a new system today you should absolutely not be using the SLC-500. In fact, it’s my opinion that any system you built in the last ten years should not have been built using a SLC-500.

While many of you may think that’s an obvious statement, just a few years ago a company duped one of our local towns here in the Berkshires into buying a complete control system based on the ancient SLC-500 (ugh.)

SLC-500 SystemFor those who don’t know, the SLC-500 product line came out nearly thirty years ago, and using it on new systems would be akin to using 286 PCs along with 5.25″ floppy disks.

That’s not to say it’s a bad product, or that you should worry about your installed base of SLC-500s, but you should be aware of a few things.

First, Rockwell makes very few new SLC-500s today, and they are expected to stop making all SLC-500 products in the coming years.

This means if you do use SLC-500s in production, you’ll want to be sure you acquire (and thoroughly test if recycled) ample spares to keep your machines going for years to come.

Second, you also need to be sure you know what and where your RSLogix 500 software licenses are, and consider getting a basic Rockwell support contract to cover your SLC-500 and RSLogix 500 if they’re used on critical machines.

If you don’t currently have SLC-500s in your plant, but you’re looking to buy a used machine that has one on it, you’ll want to take the following into consideration:

Shawn teaching a SLC-500 (PLC) Class in 2005

First, you need to be sure the machine runs!

No joke, I have seen more than one company buy a machine that does not run because the PLC no longer has the correct (or any) program loaded (i.e. the battery died, there’s no EEPROM present or it was never updated, etc.)

Second, you need to make sure you’re not locked out of the program because it has a password no one knows!

To properly troubleshoot a PLC system, you need to have access to the PLC program. But if it’s locked with a password no one knows, you won’t be able to access it.

Third, while Rockwell has unfortunately doubled the price of RSLogix 500 over the last decade (it now costs nearly $2,900) if you’re budgeting to buy a used machine that uses a SLC-500, also budget for a copy RSLogix 500 and a copy of my affordable PLC Basics course which will get you started with PLCs and RSLogix.

MicroLogix-SLC-500-FiIf you don’t, you may find yourself with a machine that goes down for days at a time as you wait for your local integrator to schedule a visit.

PS – I’m curious how many of you still have SLC-500’s running in your facility?

If you do, please let me know by clicking on the comment link below!

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.

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.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

The Automation Blog's SLC-500 Library

Hardware
Cables and Adapters
Communications
Software
Messaging
Connecting HMIs
Migration
Samples:
Learning and Discussion:

SLC-500 Content Index of all our SLC-500 related articles, videos, and podcasts

By
Shawn Tierney
-

The Automation Blog’s

SLC-500 Blog Index (36)

Updated on 09/10/2018

With the recent slew of SLC-500 questions coming into The Automation Forums and The Automation School, I thought it’d be a good time to post a new Blog Index of all my existing SLC-500 articles, podcasts, and videos.

Note: If you have a SLC-500 question, please feel free to post it in The Automation Forums A-B PLC Q&A forum HERE.

Hardware

Article: The Fixed Style SLC-500

September 6, 2013

Fixed SLC-500 Featured ImageRecently a client called asking what I thought would be the best replacement for a 1747-L40A. But to understand how to size a replacement for this PLC, we’ll first need to understand what that part number represents. In this article I’ll review the models that make up the Fixed Style SLC-500 family of products. Back in …

Read More »

Podcast: Programmable Controller Non-Volatile and Volatile Memory

December 10, 2013

In The Automation Podcast, Episode 7, we discuss PLC and PAC non-volatile and volatile memory as used in the PLC-5, SLC-500, CompactLogix and ControlLogix. Note: You can read more about ControlLogix and CompactLogix non-volatile memory in our companion blog article HERE.   By Shawn Tierney

Listen to »

Software

Article: How to get a free copy of RSLogix Emulate 500

July 16, 2014

Free-Emualte-500-fiFree is good One of the best kept Rockwell secretes is for the last few years they have offered RSLogix Emulate 500 for free. With this software, you can test your SLC-500 or MicroLogix programs right on your PC, without the need to connect to a physical unit. And Emulate …

Read More »

Article: What’s new in RSLogix 500, Micro v11

RSLogix 500 and RSLogix Micro version 11 is out, and in today’s article we’ll take a look at what’s new in this release…

Read More »

Article: RSLogix 500 and Micro Get Windows 8 Release

Just this last week I found out that Rockwell Automation had released version 9.05 of RSLogix 500 and RSLogix Micro.
These new versions add support for Windows 8 and 8.1 while also removing support for Windows XP.

Read More »

Article: RSLogix 5, 500, and Micro support for Windows XP / 7 / 8

Last Wednesday in this article I discussed how to use Rockwell’s PCDC webpage to look up the compatibility of Rockwell Software packages with Microsoft Windows operating systems.
In today’s article we’ll take a look at the results for RSLogix 5, 500, and Micro.

Read More »

Article: How to setup and use RS Emulate

Last week I walked through how to get a free copy of RSLogix Emulate 500, and in today’s article I’ll show you how to set it up.

Read More »

Communication Cables and Adapters

Article: How to add Ethernet to a SLC-500

October 29, 2014

SLC-Ethernet-Options-fiThe SLC-500 is a very popular PLC with over a million installed processors in facilities around the world. Over the years many of those facilities have modernized their sites by adding plantwide ethernet networks, and I often get calls asking how they can add their legacy SLC-500 systems to those Ethernet networks. Note: For our previous articles …

Read More »

Article: USB to Data Highway Plus using the ANC-120e

Today I take a look at the ANC-120e USB to Data Highway Plus converter from Automation Networks.

Read More »

Article: Why the Allen-Bradley (A-B) 1747-PIC always had trouble working in Microsoft Windows

October 9, 2013

1747-PIC Two SidesOver the years I’ve heard more than my fair share of complaints about Allen-Bradley’s 1747-PIC’s lack of Microsoft Windows support. In fact, every time I now hear someone complain I can’t help but say, “It’s a DOS product! From 1990! What other ‘90 products do you have that support Windows …

Read More »

Podcast: Adding DH-485 to your MicroLogix, SLC-5/04, SLC-5/05, and PanelView Plus 6 400 and 600.

March 5, 2014

In The Automation Podcast: Episode 16, we discuss how you can add DH-485 to your MicroLogix, SLC-5/04, SLC-5/05, and PanelView Plus 6 400 and 600.

Listen To »

Upload, Download, Go Online

Article: The SLC-500: Communicate and Download over Serial DF1 using RSLinx and RSLogix 500

So you need to know how to setup RSLinx Classic to communicate over serial with an Allen-Bradley SLC-500 so you can download or go online with RSLogix?

Read More »

Video: A-B SLC-500 Serial Comm Setup & Download

Learn how to setup serial communications to an A-B SLC-500 and then download to it in Episode 16 of The Automation Minute Season 3.

View »

Article: The SLC-500: Communicate and Download over DH-485 using RSLinx and RSLogix 500

So you need to know how to setup RSLinx Classic to communicate over DH-485 to an Allen-Bradley SLC-500 so you can download or go online with RSLogix?

Read More »

Video: A-B SLC-500 DH-485 Comm Setup & Download

January 27, 2017

Learn how to setup DH-485 communications to an A-B SLC-500 and then download to it in Episode 17 of The Automation Minute Season 3.

View »

Article: PLC-5 and SLC-500: Communicate and Download over Data Highway Plus using RSLinx and RSLogix

So you need to know how to setup RSLinx Classic to communicate via USB over Data Highway Plus to an Allen-Bradley PLC-5 or SLC-5/04?

Read More »

Article: Why I can’t connect to my SLC-500

February 13, 2015

SLC-500 Rack On SetToday we dig into our mailbag for another edition of “Insight’s Inbox.” Reader Question: I’ve run into an issue for which I would like to ask your opinion. Here in our plant we have SLC-500, specifically a SLC-5/03, which controls our material handling system. Whenever I connect to the SLC-5/03 to attempt to make a …

Read More »

Messaging

Article: How to Message (MSG) data from a SLC-5/05 to a MicroLogix 1400 over Ethernet

In Today’s article I walk you through how to Message data from a SLC-5/05 to a MicroLogix 1400 over Ethernet using the MSG instruction.

Read More »

Video: How to Message (MSG) data from a SLC-500 to a MicroLogix over Ethernet

May 25, 2018

In this episode I demonstrate how to message data from a SLC-5/05 to a MicroLogix 1400 over Ethernet using the MSG instruction (Episode 42 of The Automation Minute Season 4:)

View »

Article: How to Message (MSG) data from a MicroLogix 1400 to a SLC-5/05 over Ethernet

In Today’s article I walk you through how to Message data over Ethernet using the MSG instruction from a MicroLogix 1400 to a SLC-5/05.

Read More »

Video: How to Message (MSG) data from a MicroLogix to a SLC-500 over Ethernet

May 29, 2018

In this episode I demonstrate how to message data from a MicroLogix 1400 to a SLC-5/05 over Ethernet using the MSG instruction (Episode 43 of The Automation Minute Season 4:)

View »

Connecting HMIs

Article: Connecting a PanelView Plus to a SLC-500 Channel 0 Serial Port

June 16, 2014

RSLinx-Enterprise-Config-FiWhen looking to upgrade older PanelView 550 or 600 models, it’s common to consider the PanelView Plus 600 as a suitable replacement. For starters, most of the new PVPlus models will fit in the older PanelView cutouts. And, Panelbuilder32 programs import into View Studio mostly intact. Note: For more information about migrating …

Read More »

Video: Flashback – FactoryTalk View Importing PLC-5 & SLC-500 Tags

July 15, 2014

In The Automation Minute, Flashback Episode 7, Shawn Tierney walks you through Rockwell’s FactoryTalk View Studio importing of PLC-5 and SLC-500 Tags.

View »

Programs and Examples

Article: Flashback Friday! RSLogix 500 “Providence Beer” Demo

October 24, 2014

Providence Beer Ladder FF FiWelcome to The Automation Blog’s “Flashback Friday!” Today I’m highlighting my RSLogix 500 “Providence Beer” demo. The year was 1996 and I was tasked with designing a “hands-on” seminar for the new PanelView 550. The hands-on labs I needed to create would include setting up communications, as well as basic screen creation. In order to do this, I would need …

Read More »

Article: Flashback Friday! RSLogix 500 Top Ten Sort

May 23, 2014

FF RSLogix-500-Top-Ten-Sort-FiWelcome to The Automation Blog’s “Flashback Friday!” This blog series highlights automation articles and content that I originally posted on my previous website(s) between 1999 to 2013. Today I’m highlighting an RSLogix 500 program I wrote for the SLC-500. In the early spring of 2000, a good friend of mine asked for help creating a program that would sort racers based …

Read More »

Migrating

Article: How To Convert SLC-500 Programs to MicroLogix

In this article we’ll look at converting SLC-500 programs to MicroLogix, including how to address two common errors.

Read More »

Video: Converting SLC-500 Programs to MicroLogix

In this episode I discuss how you go about converting SLC-500 programs to MicroLogix, as well as how to deal with a couple of common errors (Episode 24 of The Automation Minute Season 4:

View »

Article: Replace a Fixed SLC-500 (1747-Lxxx) with a MicroLogix

September 9, 2013

Fixed SLC-500 Featured ImageRecently a client called asking what I thought would be the best PLC to replace a Fixed SLC-500. Specifically he was looking to replace a 1747-L40A. To pick a replacement we first needed to understand what this part number represents, and we covered this in detail in our last article here. We found that the 1747-L40A consisted of (24) …

Read More »

Article: Changes I would like to see made to Rockwell’s Translate PLC-5 SLC utility

February 4, 2014

Having used Rockwell’s Translate PLC-5 SLC utility on multiple occasions, and having discussed it’s practical use with other programmers time and again, I recently sent the following recommendations to Rockwell: INTs vs. DINTs One of easier things I would like to see changed in the “Translate PLC-5 SLC 2.0 utility” is the automatic …

Read More »

Article: Converting your RSLogix 500 program to RSLogix 5000 using the Translate PLC-5 SLC 2.0 utility step-by-step

January 22, 2014

If you have a PLC-5 or SLC-500 program you would like to import into RSLogix 5000, look no further than Rockwell’s free “Translate PLC-5 SLC 2.0 utility.” This utility can save you hundreds of hours of manually re-entering code, and is available free of charge from the public Rockwell Tech …

Read More »

Article: Working around the Translate PLC-5 SLC 2.0 utility’s syntax error

January 20, 2014

Translate PLC-5 SLC 2.0 Step 4_2A few weeks ago, a client asked me to review his SLC-500 program files. He wanted my advice on how difficult it would be to convert them to CompactLogix. When I received his files, the first thing I did was power on my primary Windows 7 64bit virtual machine. Then I opened each of …

Read More »

Learning and Misc

Article: Get A-B Programmable Controller data into Microsoft Excel using RSLinx

In Today’s article I’ll walk you through how you can bring Allen-Bradley Programmable Controller Data into Microsoft Excel 2016 using RSLinx Classic.

Read More »

Article: Getting Started With Programmable Controllers (PLC)

January 26, 2015

PLCs on workbenchI often get asked what is the best way to learn how to program PLC’s? In my opinion, there’s nothing like first hand experience. Therefore, I always recommend buying a small Micro PLC to use at home as the best way to learn. But then comes the obvious next questions: Which Micro? What …

Read More »

Podcast: Beginner’s PLC

August 7, 2014

In The Automation Podcast: Episode 26, we discuss two different options when choosing a Beginner’s PLC.

Listen To »

Article: Beginner’s PLC

August 26, 2013

Micro 810So you’re new to the world of PLC’s (Programmable Logic Controllers) and are looking to buy a beginner’s PLC to work with at home. I’m going to assume you’re on a budget, so getting the most “bang for your buck” will be important. You also may not own a 24vdc power supply, …

Read More »

Article: Flashback Friday! The SLC-500 Blue Demo Case

Today I’m highlighting a piece of legacy hardware, the SLC-500 blue demo case.

Read More »

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.

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.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

System Design – How To Use Rockwell’s New Ethernet/IP Capacity Tool

By
Shawn Tierney
-

In today’s article I’ll show you how to use Rockwell’s new Ethernet/IP Capacity Tool.

The replacement for Rockwell’s discontinued Ethernet/IP Capacity Tool can now be found inside of Integrated Architecture Builder (IAB.)

Note: To learn how you can get a free copy of IAB, check out my previous article HERE.

To access the new tool, first create a new workspace inside of IAB.

Then select, “Ethernet/IP Capacity Subsystem,” as shown below:

After a few moments you should see the below screen:

The first step is to choose your Controller.

In this example I chose an L16:

After you select a Controller, if you put your mouse pointer over the question mark to the right side of your controller, you’ll see a popup that lists your controller’s specifications.

In the case of my controller, it shows the L16 only supports a total of four Ethernet Nodes:

Next, I add some I/O to the system by clicking on one of the “Select I/O” buttons:

Then I choose 1734 Point I/O, and enter a chassis count of two to indicate that I have two chassis with the same configuration.

Next I add the number of discrete and analog modules I intend to install, along with their RPIs, and then click on OK to add my I/O to the system:

Back in the main window I now click on “Compute” to calculate how much of my L16’s “capacity” these two racks of Point IO use with the results are shown below:

In the next block I add three drops of Flex I/O, each with several digital and analog I/O modules.

Note: If you attempt to add more modules to a product than it supports, you’ll see a red warning messages like the one shown below:

With my above errors corrected, I clicked on OK to close the I/O screen, and then clicked on the “Compute” button again.

Below you can see the results which show that I’ve exceeded my L16’s max Ethernet Node count of 4:

After reducing my Flex I/O racks from three to two, I decided to add four PanelView Plus HMI’s to the system, each with 1000 tags updating at 50ms:

When I recomputed the results, I found those four PanelView Plus’s exceeded the L16’s HMI “packets per second” (PPS) limit by a whopping 200%!

In an attempt to reduce the required HMI PPS, I changed the PanelView Plus update rate from 50ms to 100ms, and lowered the tag count to 800, both of which helped get my system under 100% utilization.

That said, there was very little bandwidth left, and I definitely wouldn’t recommend designing a system with limits in the “yelllow” caution zone:

The last feature I want to show is accessed using the “Generate” button:

When you click it, IAB creates a project based on your configuration:

Note: While IAB does create each drop on the network, all the I/O modules used are the defaults, leaving it to the user to update them with the desired modules.

To watch a video of the above, check out Episode 52 of The Automation Minute Season Four below:


If you found this article helpful, please consider sharing it with your colleagues and on social media.

And if you’d like to post a comment or question on the above, just click on the “Click HERE to post a comment or question” link below.

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.

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.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

How To Use Rockwell’s New Ethernet/IP Capacity Tool (2018) (M4E52)

By
Shawn Tierney
-

Can’t find Rockwell’s free Ethernet/IP Capacity Tool? In this episode I show where it is and how to use it (Episode 52 of The Automation Minute Season 4:)


If you’ve found this video helpful, checkout my training courses here.

Check out our Video Collection #1 here, which includes the first five seasons of our shows for just $30!

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.

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.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

How To Enable Legacy PLCs In Integrated Architecture Builder

By
Shawn Tierney
-

So you’ve updated Rockwell’s Integrated Architecture Builder to gain access to new devices like the 5580 and 5380 Controllers.

Then later you realize you can no longer create projects with older controllers like the ControlLogix 5560, CompactLogix L23 and L3x, and the PLC-5.

Fortunately, the good folks over at Rockwell provide a means to launch an older version of the software for just those occasions.

To access it, from within the current version of IAB select File, and then select “Launch previous IAB version”:

Once the previous version launches, you’ll have the ability to create new workspaces with those legacy controllers.

For the ControlLogix line, that provides access to the 5560 Family:

For the CompactLogix, it provides access to the L3x and L23 lines:

And you also have the ability to create PLC-5 workspaces:

To watch a video of the above, check out Episode 51 of The Automation Minute Season Four below:

If you found this article helpful, please consider sharing it with your colleagues and on social media.

And if you’d like to post a comment or question on the above, just click on the “Click HERE to post a comment or question” link below.

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.

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.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

How To Enable Legacy PLCs In Integrated Architecture Builder (M4E51)

By
Shawn Tierney
-

In this episode I show you how you can use legacy PLCs like the PLC-5, L6x, L23, and more in the latest version of Integrated Architecture Builder (IAB) (Episode 51 of The Automation Minute Season 4:)


If you’ve found this video helpful, checkout my training courses here.

Check out our Video Collection #1 here, which includes the first five seasons of our shows for just $30!

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.

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.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

How To Download, Use, and Update Rockwell’s Integrated Architecture Builder

By
Shawn Tierney
-

In today’s article I walk you through how to find, download, install, use, and update Rockwell’s free Integrated Architecture Builder (IAB) software.

UPDATE – June, 2022: Rockwell made some changes to their website and I documented the new procedure to download IAB in the below article:

– How To Download Rockwell’s Integrated Architecture Builder (2022)

(The above new article replaces steps 1 – 5 below)

1) Start by navigating your web browser to http://www.ab.com:

2) Once there, search on “Product Selection Toolbox”:

3) From the search results select “Product Selection and Configuration”:

4) Then click on the “Download the Toolbox” button:

5) At this point you’ll be prompted to save/download the PST install file.

Once it completely downloads, open and run it:

6) If you receive this “UAC” prompt, click on Yes to continue:

7) Now click on “Install” to load any required prerequisite software:

8) After the prerequisites install, you’ll need to step through a few more pages to accept the license agreement, choose a locale, choose a language, enter you name and company, and choose an install directory:

9) Then you’ll need to choose which Toolbox software packages you want to install. Check to be sure “Integrated Architecture Builder” is checked, and then select “Next”:

10) Finally, click on the “Install” button to install the software you selected:

11) Once IAB finishes installing, go ahead and launch it. When it opens it should look something like this:

12) IAB includes many different Wizards to assist you in creating a system, but if you’d like to quickly create a system from scratch, first select “File” and “New” from the menu:

13) Next, select “Blank” from the list on the left, give your workspace a name on the right, and then click on OK:

14) After your new blank workspace opens, select “Action” and “Add New Hardware” from the menu:

15) Here you select a hardware platform from the list on the left, then make any required selections to the right before clicking on OK.

Note: Below I chose “ControlLogix” and a chassis size of “17”:

16) Once your new workspace loads, you’ll see the hardware you selected in the previous step. You’ll also see a list of hardware directly below it:

17) In this example, to add 1756 modules to my 1756 chassis, I simply find those modules in the hardware list below, and then drag them to the chassis slot I want to put them in.

18) If you can’t find a new or current product in the list, you’ll likely need to update IAB to gain access to those products.

To get an updated version, first close IAB, then run Rockwell’s “Current Program Updater” and click on “Check For Updates”:

19) Once the Current Updater is done checking for updates, the product list will be updated to show which of your installed PST software has updates available.

You’ll also have the option to choose which of the available updates you’d like to download and install:

20) After you’ve selected the packages you’d like to update, click on the “Get Selected Updates” button, and you updates will be downloaded and installed.

To watch a video of the above, check out Episode 50 of The Automation Minute Season Four below:


If you found this article helpful, please consider sharing it with your colleagues.

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.

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.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

How To Download, Use, and Update Integrated Architecture Builder (2018) (M4E50)

By
Shawn Tierney
-

In this episode I show you how to download, install, use, and update Integrated Architecture Builder (IAB) (Episode 50 of The Automation Minute Season 4:)


If you’ve found this video helpful, checkout my training courses here.

Check out our Video Collection #1 here, which includes the first five seasons of our shows for just $30!

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.

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.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

ViewSE – TechED 2018: What’s New in FactoryTalk View Site Edition

By
Shawn Tierney
-

In today’s article I’ll review my top five FactoryTalk View Site Edition announcements from the “What’s New in Visualization” TechED presentation.

Note: You can get your own copy of the full presentation by following the steps in my previous article here.

1) First up is expanded client support for multi-monitor setups. This new feature allows a single client to be configured to support up to six monitors natively:

2) Next up is Trend Pro which has been enhanced to allow the tracing of FactoryTalk Alarms and Events, as well as the creation of Trend Templates:

3) RecipePro+ Recipe Management was also updated adding support for RSView32 Recipe Pro migration as well as CSV Import/Export:

4) Redundancy saw many enhancements in this release, including automatic project replication during project creation, and the added ability to forced failovers from within View Studio.

5) And in addition to the new features, Redundancy system sizing recommendations have also been scaled up to include 80 ViewSE clients, 100 ViewPoint Clients, and 10 HMI, Alarm, and Database servers.

To watch a video discussion of the above, check out Episode 45 of The Automation Podcast below:


Well, those are my picks. If you’d like to share your own picks, you can do so by clicking on the “post a comment or question” link below.

And if you’d like to get a copy of this or any of the other Rockwell Automation TechED 2018 presentations, you can do so by following the steps in my previous article here.

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.

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.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

ViewSE – TechED 2018: What’s New In FactoryTalk View Site Edition (P47)

By
Shawn Tierney
-

I review the “What’s New in FactoryTalk View Site Edition” in Episode 47 of The Automation Podcast.

Watch the Podcast:


The Automation Podcast is also available on most Video and Podcasting platforms, and direct links to each can be found here.

Listen to the Podcast:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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.

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.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

What’s New in Studio 5000 (TechED 18)

By
Shawn Tierney
-

In today’s article I’ll review my top five Studio 5000 announcements from the “What’s New in the Integrated Architecture System Software” TechED presentation.

Note: You can get your own copy of the full presentation by following the steps in my previous article here.

1) First up is that Studio 5000 now has tabbed windows, much like you find in modern browsers. These new tabs can be re-ordered, grouped, and even pulled out for viewing on a second monitor:

2) Next, Rockwell has moved to standard error indicators for all languages, and also supports filtering of messages in the error window:

3) Function Blocks got a welcomed visual overhaul which added the ability to force tags, enter operand values, and change sheet sizes while online:

4) Structured Text also got some welcomed new features like the addition of line numbers and bookmarks, multi-line select and mouse scrolling, smart indenting, collapsible code segments, and in-line value monitoring:

5) Finally, a powerful new alarming feature was added to Studio 5000 version 31. Known as “Logix Tag-Based Alarms,” this new feature allows alarms to be added to nearly any tag, has a very small memory footprint and does not require adding alarm instructions or code, and automatically integrates into a FactoryTalk Alarm and Events system.

To watch a video discussion of the above, check out Episode 46 of The Automation Podcast below:


Well, those are my picks. If you’d like to share your own picks, you can do so by clicking on the “post a comment or question” link below.

And if you’d like to get a copy of this or any of the other Rockwell Automation TechED 2018 presentations, you can do so by following the steps in my previous article here.

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.

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.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

Studio 5000 – TechED18: What’s New with Studio 5000 from TechED 2018 (P46)

By
Shawn Tierney
-

I review the “What’s New in Studio 5000” software presentation in Episode 46 of The Automation Podcast.

Watch the Podcast:

Listen to the Podcast:

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.

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.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

Logix, View – TechED18: What’s New with Logix and View from TechED 2018 (P45)

By
Shawn Tierney
-

I review the “What’s New in Logix and View” hardware presentation in Episode 45 of The Automation Podcast.

Watch the Podcast:

Listen to the Podcast:

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.

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.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

CCW – v11: Feature Pack – Will Add “RSLogix /Studio 5000 Like” Ladder Editor

By
Shawn Tierney
-

In Rockwell’s recently released TechED presentations, new information has surfaced about how they plan to make CCW look more like RSLogix and Studio 5000.

This planned “Logix look and feel” feature will be made available to CCW 11 users via a small and easy to install update which they’re calling “Feature Pack Version 11.”

When released, this Feature Pack will be made available on Rockwell’s Compatibility and Downloads website.

Below I’ll include some excerpts from the above mentioned TechED presentation, CL22, which you can download by following the steps in my previous article here.

The ability to switch from CCW’s standard IEC Ladder View to one that’s more like RSLogix and Studio 5000 will be made available through a new “Themes” feature:

When you switch from the “Default” theme to the “Logix” theme, IEC instructions like “+” and “-” will be replaced with Logix equivalents like “ADD” and “SUB”.

This also enables coping and pasting Ladder between CCW and RSLogix 500 or Studio 5000

In addition to the new Ladder View, the Instruction Toolbar also changes with the theme to closely match the standard Logix ladder toolbar:

Rockwell has even added an “ASCII Text Input Pane” to the “Logix” theme for those of us who prefer directly typing our ladder code into the editor:

Personally, I’m looking to trying the new Feature Pack 11 when it releases later this year, and hope to cover it both here and in my video series, The Automation Minute.

Note that you can get a copy of the full presentation from which the above information was gathered by following the steps in my previous article here, and then searching for presentation CL22.

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.

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.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

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