Update an Automation Direct PLC remotely?

Hey everyone,

First post, sorry if this is a common topic/question, but didn't have any luck searching. I'm fairly new to PLC programming/development (Android/iOS guy, been doing PLC work for the past ~year off and on).

I have some PLCs that we use on a machine we ship to customers. The biggest problem is, we can't update them once they're on site with customers. Coming from the mobile app world, this is a tough pill to swallow. So I went searching on ways we could update remotely, and haven't found any good options.

As a note, we're using AutomationDirect DL-05 and DL-06 PLCs.

I did find this one resource. A company named Samuel Jackson uses the DL-06 in their product, and they have a Windows/Macintosh updater, that they offer to customers to download and update their PLC.

https://support.samjackson.com/plc-updates/

Does anyone know what sort of thing they'd be doing to make this work? Is there some holy grail I'm missing because I'm too big of a newbie? Any ideas on how much work this would be?

Any thoughts and opinions are appreciated.

https://www.automationdirect.com/adc/Shopping/Catalog/Communications/Secure_Remote_Access_-_VPN

Automation direct also has this covered. Take a look at the above remote access Stride Sitelink.

Regards,

The Directsoft software provides a utility which can upload a program from the CPU and create an executable which can be sent to yor customer. On launching Directsoft look for DNLoader on the left under 'Utilities'. You will have to keep a PLC of each type locally because the utility only works by uploading from the CPU. It would be neat if the executable could be created by Directsoft directly but it can't. The customer could also use the utility to upload and create a backup without needing the full software.

@Bernie, that's great! In creating a custom Mac/PC app, do you think that Samuel Jackson worked with Host Engineering to do this? Or do you think they did it on their own?