Control.com - Nerds in Control

Looking for PLC's that can be programmed in Ladder, FBD and Structured text, preferably with free, or low cost programming software.

Any ideas guys? Don't mind paying for the hardware, but paying $$$$ for the software ticks me off.

Regards

Mark Wills

Probably, you may try with Twido By Schneider.

Yours Truly,
Iguana

The Twido offers RLL and some kind of instruction list languages only, no FBDs.

Hi,
The LG has a free software for their PLCs (named KGL_WE) and for HMI panels (called PMU editor).

Regards
Piotr Kowalski

Hi,

As an option, try at http://www.arsoft-int.com there you find out Visual I/O and Visual PLC I think that will be a solution for you.

Best

It's a grudge of mine too, why cant they throw a few extra dollars at the hardware, and integrate the software cost.

Last time I bought an Omron, and an Hitachi, the wholesaler gave me the configuring software, so the cost must be minimal enough for the wholsaler to integrate the software cost into the hardware for these 2 products at least.

Dennis

Dennis,

If the software costs were integrated into the hardware, you would pay for software everytime you order a CPU. In the end, you would pay more for the software than I think you realize. Better to find a company with reasonable software costs offered as a site license.

Mark,

Give WAGO a try. While the software is not free, it is fairly inexpensive ($750.00 list) and is offered as a site liscense with free downloads from the web (the package support all 5 IEC 61131 languages - LD, FB, ST, etc. and comes with a built-in visualization tool). Check out the free trial download on our site (http://www.wago.us).

The hardware is very cost effective yet very powerful. CPUs start at around $450.00. In addition, we offer over 200 I/O modules to choose from (digital, analog, and special funtion modules).

Also, support and training are free. Just call our application support team or team of field application engineers.

Software Link:

http://www.wago.com/wagoweb/documentation/navigate/nm9dp_ _e.htm

Hardware Link:

http://www.wago.com/wagoweb/documentation/navigate/nm0dc_ _e.htm

Our flagship PLC (little over $500.00 and very powerful:

http://www.wago.com/wagoweb/documentation/750/eng_dat /d084200e.pdf

Dean Norton
WAGO Corporation

Check http://www.opto22.com

The software is free to download, including the programming software and hmi software. It doesn't use ladder, but flow diagrams and script. Also, training classes are free.

Jeff Owens

Programming software should complie FBD or other codes to machine code. So if developer wants to reduce the cost of software, he should use some standards like IEC 1131-3. Then user should pay the overheads of companies who decide to build PLCs compatible to these standards!

So using Siemens Logo, Omron Zen or Keyence minis, can provide low price software and hardware.

Regards

Nima

Automation Direct has DirectSoft 5 available for download, but you're limited to 100 words of logic.

Good luck,
Chris

It depends on your definition of a PLC, but you might try http://www.tri-plc.com/ .

They market what are essentially dedicated purpose single board computers programmed in ladder logic, and offer download of an educational version of their software at no charge. A copy of the full version is bundled with hardware purchases, which, at $69 for their "E10-npn+" 'Tiny Ladder Logic PLC', is about as cheap as you'll likely to get.

So Mark, what did you choose?

Hi,

How about Siemens S7, I'm surprised no-one has suggested it. Step 7 lite is available for free download (you have to register) it is restricted to simpler systems, but is a 'real' programming package.

http://support.automation.siemens.com/WW/llisapi.dll?f unc=cslib.csinfo&lang=en&objid=22764522&caller=view

ht tp://www.sea.siemens.com/autogen/docs/eng/lit/STEP7%20Lite%20Brochure.pdf

Marc Sinclair

Mark,

We at Entertron offer a free programming package that is ladder based (sorry, no FBD or structured text).

It will program any of our controllers and is available for download at our web site. http://www.entertron.com The download is password protected, so either complete our contact or contact us directly for the password.

Hope this helps.

God Bless,

Stephen Luft - President
Entertron Industries
3857 Orangeport Rd.
Gasport, NY 14067
Tel: 716-772-7216
Fax: 716-772-2604

OMRON's CJ1M Supports the combination of ladder and FB (you can create your own FB using structured text or ladder).

A very cheap and good choice for low-demanding applications will be the Crouzet's Millenium 3.
it supports both FBD and Ladder.

Also Automation Direct has a version of their software free with a 100 word limit. And if that's not enough, their full blown version is only $400 and works for all their PLCs.

Regards
cww

http://free.opto22.com

Software--including programming, HMI, integration kits

Training--4-day class covering Ethernet, flowchart, scripting, HMI development, OPC, OIT

Support--always free.

Details at link above. Good luck with your project.

-BH

Yes, our programming tools OpenPCS are free for download. Please try http://www.infoteam.de the download Area.

Its supports all five IEC 61131-3 Languages plus the CFC Editor.

Software is available in German, English, Spanish, French, Russian, trad. Chinese, simpl. Chinese

Try looking at Beckhoff. The software is free, you can download a new copy every 30 days.
License is not free, but you can develop and test with the demo.

Try Delta PLC
http://www.arsoft-int.com
Soft PLC: WPL

Try EasyPLC you can download at www.nirtec.com
It's free and you can use your computer like a PLC.