Allen Bradley PLCs

Hello all
I am a self taught PLC programmer with Automation Direct PLCs and their software. I would like to learn to program Allen Bradley PLCs. Probably starting with micro logic. What software is needed? Will the programming be the same idea as the AD PLCs, just building the ladder logic in the software?

The cheapest thing for just learning is get LogixPro: http://www.thelearningpit.com/lp/update.html
It is based on RSLogix.
http://www.thelearningpit.com/

The next step you could purchase an ML1000 that offfers a free version of RSLogix 500.

For getting aquainted there is a free version of the software which can program the smallest micrologix.


The main conceptual difference will be:

The nomenclature I = Input, O = Output, N = Integral data register, B = bit addressable registers, T = Timer, C = Counter.

The addressing - includes data type (I,O,N,B,T,C etc) with file number (some are preassigned by type) and location within the file. Numbering is decimal, not octal. These components are seperated by colons, periods and slashes. Read up on the addressing to not get confused.

On larger PLCs the ability to assign higher file numbers with your choice of data type.

A lack of the 'stage' logic.

Arithmetic operations which include
1. load first operand
2 do operation with second operand
3 store to output location
all within one instruction

The preset and acculator for timers and counters are at preassigned locations, not just the accumulator. The timers and counters provide more status bits than just the 'finished' bit.

I think that covers the major differences. Otherwise the logic is much the same. Oh - you get to AND a condition before a second output on a rung!

And the default level of the math is not BCD!