AB PLC Processors

Hello PLC Wizards,

Just want to ask some questions regarding AB PLC processors. What is the difference between AB SLC processors and AB control logix PLC processors in terms of overall system performance. I hope I asked the right question. Because I know a little about SLC processors but dont know anything about Contol logix processors.

Hope someone out there can share me light on this.

1.What kind of applications do you have in mind?
2. What I/O size?
3. Is this a new project or an upgrade to an existing one?

Your answers to these questions might influence my answer, but in general I would strongly advise using ControlLogix (CLX) over SLC500.

1. The CLX hardware system is very flexible and can be easily scaled from very small to exceedingly large systems.

2. CLX is much faster to program because the use of User Defined Datastructures makes it far easier to do object oriented programming. Commenting is far easier and the symbolic only tag addresses is a huge leap forward over the older style N7:0, B3/0. etc.

3.Support in CLX for process and motion control is excellent. A whole raft of new instructions in the CLX allow for efficient development of far more complex applications than one would dream of attempting in SLC.

4. The CLX processors are available with much greater speed and memory capacity. You are not limited to just one hardware family. The CLX family includes the ControlLogix, CompactLogix, FlexLogix and DriveLogix platforms, which lets you choose the hardware to suit the task. They are all programmed with the same RSLogix5000 software. The total hardware cost comparison between CLX and SLC, shows for anything but the smaller SLC5/03 systems with < 200 IO, the CLX will be more cost-effective.

5. With the SLC your communications options were limited to what the processor offered. With CLX ANY combination of CPU's, Comms modules and IO can be plugged into ANY slot. There are some design considerations concerning best practice configuration, bandwidth and capacity limits,etc, but they are far less restrictive than SLC, which really only went to 30 slots and after that you had to use R.I/O or DeviceNet.

6. The CIP protocol that is the heart of CLX communications natively supports bridging and routing through any path...WITHOUT having to write any code in any processor. Whether you choose to use EthernetIP, ControlNet or DeviceNet media, it is the same CIP protocol as runs on the CLX backplane. All modules in a CLX system are peers to each other, regardless of location. Their function defined by their firmware, not by their connectivity.

7. And finally one should be aware that the faithful old SLC is now in the last 25% of it's commercial life.

Mr. PhilipW

Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge. I really appreciate it.

More Power to you and to PLCs.net

Unregistered said:

Mr. PhilipW

Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge. I really appreciate it.

More Power to you and to PLCs.net

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Hi,
I want to know whether it is possible to communicate the float value through Remote Rockwell Automation Remote Access Paging Modem 9300 RAPM & HOW?

PhilipW said:

7. And finally one should be aware that the faithful old SLC is now in the last 25% of it's commercial life.

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I find this statement humourous because I have one customer, GM Power Train Willow Run Transmission (where the big bombers of WWII were assembled) that has recently (couple of years) added SLCs to their approved materials list on new equipment.

Doesnt AB call it "Silver Series" when it starts getting old and they have future plans to discontinue? I always assumed Silver Series was analogous to silver haired like some of us may be soon.

I know the PLC5 has been put on the Silver Series list but the only SLC models are the fixed. Whats funny is there are several Compact and Controllogix models on the list.
http://www.ab.com/silver/index.html

With the advent of the newer Micrologix line to supplement the SLC line I would think its going to be one of the primary units for a while.

rsdoran said:

I know the PLC5 has been put on the Silver Series list.

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Ron,

I think the PLC5's that are silver series are only the very old ones (10, 12, 15, 25) and the CNet 1.25. Are there others that I am not aware of?

Remember also - the "Silver Date" is the last date that orders for NEW units will be accepted. AB strives to have 7 years of service/support/spares after the "silver date", so (as far as I know) even those that are on the list still have several years of "planned" support . . .

Marc

This is what's shown and I agree AB doesnt rush to pull them even after stating they are going to do so. The above links will show all:
I cant get the list to view correct, this is the PLC list:
http://www.ab.com/silver/plc5.html

PLC5/250: http://www.ab.com/silver/pyramid.html