Product category:
Mid-range and Large PLCs
News Release from: Rockwell Automation | Subject: SoftLogix 5800 with SERCOS
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 25 August 2003
Soft PLC incorporates SERCOS motion
control
Rockwell Automation has developed a new SERCOS version of SoftLogix 5800 control software, its flexible, soft PLC solution with motion control capabilities.
Rockwell Automation has developed a new SERCOS version of SoftLogix 5800 control software, its flexible, soft PLC solution with motion control capabilities This important enhancement offers major benefits such as significantly reduced wiring, improved information feedback, great HMI capability and easy setup
SoftLogix 5800 is control software that runs on a PC, allowing it to perform functions normally associated with a dedicated "hard" programmable logic controller.
Soft PLCs are gaining in popularity as the components used in PCs continue to improve, higher processing power offers lower cost and larger data storage offers higher information handling capability.
SoftLogix 5800 with SERCOS is a major addition to Rockwell Automation's range of soft PLCs and in particular its motion control offering, but the company will continue to give the customer the choice of selecting the extremely flexible hardware equivalent, ControlLogix.
It is also very easy to move from one to the other.
A user electing for the hardware solution can use existing code if they later decide to move to the soft version.
This can be particularly attractive for OEMs who may want to address different markets or customers with different solutions.
When using SoftLogix 5800, the standard PC technologies of serial, USB and Ethernet connection, sound, printer and scanner capabilities plus interoperability with other software make for great flexibility and ease of operation.
Now, with the addition of a SERCOS interface, the Allen-Bradley SoftLogix5800 PC-based controller is perfect for applications that require very fast execution times combined with high speed servo motion control, such as those found in the printing, packaging, materials handling and semiconductor industries.
Other ideal SoftLogix applications include those requiring integration with other Windows-based packages for data warehousing or with external custom or proprietary user programs, developed in another programming language.
"Our customers wanted to integrate "custom" written routines using Visual C or C++ and Visual Basic with control applications written in ladder code", said John Pritchard, Product Marketing Manager, Rockwell Automation.
"With SoftLogix, instruction programs written in Visual C or C++, Visual Basic, can run without users having to rewrite proprietary instructions in function-block or ladder logic.
This is a significant advantage and results in overall savings on programming resources".
It is the addition of the SERCOS capability, however, that makes SoftLogix 5800 special in the way that it delivers motion control seamlessly into a wide range of applications.
SERCOS replaces the large number of wires previously required to connect the controller with the servo drive (up to 20 per axis) with a single fibre optic cable.
Its major benefits include ease of commissioning, higher accuracy, and improved system performance.
Unlike some other so called "soft" motion control products that use the PCI card, SoftLogix is "truly soft", executing the motion commands and generating the motion profiles directly on the native PC processor.
Using motion control has never been simpler - just use the PC to name and configure each motion axis, develop the application programme by selecting instructions from an extensive command library that includes over 30 advanced motion instructions and "download" them to the SoftLogix 5800 controller.
To complete the motion solution, insert the PCI motion cards into the PC and connect the servo drives.
Each card supports up to 16 axes.
Rockwell Automation has once again moved ahead of the competition with an amazingly flexible and easy to use addition to its range.
Like Kinetix before it, it will transform the way that engineers think about motion control. Request a free brochure from Rockwell Automation ...
• Rockwell Automation: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Engineeringtalk email newsletter
• Engineeringtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
