Visualization aids for writing PLC programs.

What are you guys using to visualize a program before writing it? Are you using some kind of flow-chart software? I need to step up my organization, and it seems like some kind of visualization is the right way to do that. I suspect that the more you practice some kind of visualization, the easier it is to manage complexity.

I'm getting ready to use an excel spreadsheet for visualization, with the steps in the rows, and the affected addresses in the columns. I have no idea how well this will end up working.

Any thoughts or input?

Excel and then a software called Simple Mind, it enables You to create mindmaps, connect points and in general helps to organize thoughts.

I use Excel along with good ol' fashioned pencil & paper to draw up a flow chart. I have the Simple Mind app on my phone but haven't played around with it very much.

I've noticed that I sometimes process things different from the average bear. Don't be surprised if you find a unique combination of methods works best for you. When tackling a new challenge many years ago, I was torn between two different ways of setting up the logic. A mentor suggested I try programming a small simulation using each way and comparing the two for ease, flow and clarity. As I did this, it became clear that plan 'B' was the better option.

some customers require a flowchart and timing chart.

I typically get the customers specs, read them several times, then get with the mechanical designer and discuss what we need to do the job.
I then write down the sequence of events in order, review them, then add the I/o, then write the code.

james

The company I used to work for had a system. We would take the User Requirement Specification (URS), write the Functional Design Specification (FDS) and generate a Software Design Specification (SDS). This used a number of software types available in the day from CAD, Word Processor, flow chart software and spreadsheets. Once these were signed off & the project off the ground we would again use these and the various types of software to generate the user manuals, however, very often these ran concurrently as like most contracts everything was "want it yesterday".
But most word processors today you can do much of it in one platform or import it into the document.
spreadsheets & flowchart seem to be the most useful for coding. It's a good idea to have spreadsheets for address areas i.e. we had different ones set up for a range of PLC's so that areas of memory could be pre-defined like I/O, Bits, words, some of them were then divided into areas like alarms, recipe and where possible values for HMI or Scada (this kept the comms traffic down as block reads/writes are far more efficient). If there were a number of engineers then we would use only one spreadsheet set and pencil in the areas used so that none were duplicated. not perfect but it helped.

I use flowcharts with MS Visio.

I appreciate the replies. I'm taking everything in and thinking about it while I try to set up my organization.

I've switched from Excel to Google Sheets so I can easily work on my cell phone, with voice dictation. It's still a work in progress.

I have Visio, but it seems like it would be too cumbersome to make quick sketches of programs. This spreadsheet idea is good because of the quickness.

If Visio is to heavy for You - try Google Drawings, tons of templates, integrates with Google Draw.

AutomationTechBrian said:

I have Visio, but it seems like it would be too cumbersome to make quick sketches of programs. This spreadsheet idea is good because of the quickness.

Click to expand...

Maybe I'm not following fully? Visio flowcharts are just drag and drop on the sheet and connect the blocks with a line, then enter some text in each block. I think it's easy as pie and works really well for visualizing a program or even just a routine within a program. Attached is one that I just recently did for something I'm currently working on. Took me about 20 minutes.