Automation Direct Productivity 1000/ 2000 PLC

QMS_MAN

Member
Join Date
Jun 2015
Location
uk
Posts
9
I am looking at using this range instead of AB compact logix.

I have had a look at the software manuals and cannot find anything that indicates if this range supports some form of AOI / UDT similar to Logix 5000.

Has anybody used these controllers utilizing said functionality.

Thanks in advance.
 
I am just starting to use the Productivity 1000 Series PLC.
The units do not have UDT similar to the Logix 5000. Here is a thread with the same question. The Do-More series has this feature.
https://forum.automationdirect.com/forum/general-applications/13220-productivity-2000-3000-structure

AOI (Add On Instruction) - In the productivity suite software, groups of rungs can be placed in a task. This task can be password protected.

Here are the general features of the software.
https://www.automationdirect.com/productivity/software/features

Hope this helps you out.
Regards,
 
I am looking at using this range instead of AB compact logix.

I have had a look at the software manuals and cannot find anything that indicates if this range supports some form of AOI / UDT similar to Logix 5000.

Has anybody used these controllers utilizing said functionality.

Thanks in advance.

Nope, but they claim it is in the works.

They're really pretty good little machines and the software is not bad for the price (free). They're have tons of memory and are really fast too. But... I am not convinced that they are as rugged as the other offerings. I have a few of them out in the field and have only had a couple of issues, mostly minor. I did have one failure of a serial port that was probably due to lightning. It is connected to RS485 and about 600' of cable buried in the ground so I added a signal isolator.

I am not sure I will put any more out there, but when the customer is on a budget and it is useful to put the free software on their machine for remote access purposes you can save a ton of money.

Things I love about them:
-Lots of comms ports, lots of power, easy to set up and communicate with. Modbus read and write instructions are superior to A/B stuff. You can talk to about anything with the PxK series.
-Analog modules with built in readouts that can show milliamps for all the channels.
-price...unbeatable bargain.
-bright OLED display right on the processor
-instruction set is somewhat simple but quite powerful. Debounce coils are particularly useful along with rising and falling edge "contact" instructions.
-firmware. the CPUs come ready to run out of the box, and firmware upgrades are easy to perform. The software will even reload the program into the CPU after you update firmware and all of it goes very quickly compared to A/B

Things I don't love:
-Bit numbers start at 1. I don't know why they did this but I actually hate this. Bits always always always start with 0. There is no good excuse for this horrible ugly flaw in my opinion.
-Window arrangement. It ain't RSLogix...You can only edit address descriptions from the tag database and it is in your way when it is opened. The help file is similar.
-Too many tag options. It ain't like A/B where everything is retentive and you can look at tag values online or offline. You get to choose which tags are retentive. You also have initial values, force values, initial force tickboxes...I still don't know for sure what all these extra features are good for, and not sure I understand what will happen if the battery is dead and I cycle power and I have written several complete programs. I had some tag value weirdness happen once, so I replaced some tags with constants to solve the problem.

I don't think they are as capable as Compactlogix. They only do ladder logic and don't support some of the more advanced abstractions or programming techniques, but depending on your situation, they might be more than capable for you.
 
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I have done 1 project with the P2000 and a GS drive. I was a little worried about the ruggedness of the PLC because it is a little "Cheaper" feeling in its construction than a CompactLogix. I am happy to report that I have no failures at all and the project is over a year old.

I will share some of Okie's dislikes. The bit number thing didn't bother me too much but the tag choices are very confusing!! It caused me a lot of problems especially with HMI entered values. I will add 1 dislike to the list: If you use Ethernet and connect a GS drive or anything else that uses the remote IO protocol you have to connect the Ethernet cable to the back port only. So if you may need more than 1 network switch depending on how you have the network set up. 1 for the remote IO and 1 for the HMI or programming port. That seems unnecessary to me but it is the way it is now.

Overall not a bad PLC. A CompactLogix Killer? Maybe not but if you like tag based programming and a modular design this is a good PLC.
 
A CompactLogix Killer?
If they add UDTs and Add-Ons, I will replace many CompactLogix in my projects. Probably not all them because, you know, some customers think that nothing other than Allen Bradley (or Siemens) is good enough for their applications.
 
If they add UDTs and Add-Ons, I will replace many CompactLogix in my projects. Probably not all them because, you know, some customers think that nothing other than Allen Bradley (or Siemens) is good enough for their applications.

LOCAL variables would be nice, too.
 
I've heard nothing but good on this forum about them but like Hens teeth in the UK, I've seen maybe 2 in 15 years.

Be prepared for some 'What the f**k is that?' questions.

I'd be checking tech support and spares, lead times. It maybe not as good here as in the US.
 
I've heard nothing but good on this forum about them but like Hens teeth in the UK, I've seen maybe 2 in 15 years.

Be prepared for some 'What the f**k is that?' questions.

I'd be checking tech support and spares, lead times. It maybe not as good here as in the US.

AutomationDirect has a very good reseller in the UK, Lamonde Automation Ltd. in Surrey.
 
Currently using P2000s

I've used the P2000s on 3 machines, each controlling servos over Modbus. The units were commissioned at the end of 2016 and so far zero failures & zero downtime. I would not hesitate to use these anywhere I would normally use a CompactLogix.
 
Things I don't love:
-Bit numbers start at 1. I don't know why they did this but I actually hate this. Bits always always always start with 0. There is no good excuse for this horrible ugly flaw in my opinion.
-Window arrangement. It ain't RSLogix...You can only edit address descriptions from the tag database and it is in your way when it is opened. The help file is similar.
-Too many tag options. It ain't like A/B where everything is retentive and you can look at tag values online or offline. You get to choose which tags are retentive. You also have initial values, force values, initial force tickboxes...I still don't know for sure what all these extra features are good for, and not sure I understand what will happen if the battery is dead and I cycle power and I have written several complete programs. I had some tag value weirdness happen once, so I replaced some tags with constants to solve the problem.

I'm with you. I don't think they are all that rugged of machines. I just used a P2000 for a project. AD tech support is great, though. I also agree with you about them starting their numbers at one as opposed to zero. I'm sure that also added a nice bit of programming.

To answer your question: When the battery dies and the CPU is power cycled, the retentive memory is lost, but the program will stay in the CPU, though I'm not sure for how long.

I love the arrow key method of ladder insertion, though the column system can be a bit clunky and give issue if adding a much longer rung to the program.

I can't wait for some form of UDT in their software, it would make things much more efficient.
 
Another alternative that has many ports like the P2000, has virtually unlimited memory, more of an Allen-Bradley style programming, loadable and user functions, more capability than CompactLogix and priced like the P2000 is the Smart SoftPLC.

The programming software is included with your first purchase, support and quality are great - we've used them for many years.

What's more, SoftPLC supports all the A-B protocols (incl the old RIO/DH+) as well as Modbus, ModbusTCP so it is easy to interface to just about any devices.
 
productivity 2000 plc

I have used the Productivity 2000 plc's all over my plant with the cmore hmi's. I have them connected over the network with remote access.

They have performed flawlessly on packaging lines, wastewater, conveyor systems and we are installing them on mix tanks.

the cmore hmi's are connected to production's tablets and managements cell phones.

I like them because the programming is fast and the processors are low cost.

I also like the cards have visual i/o and losts of communication ports.

Like the datalogging as well.
 

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