Would you recommend AD productivity PLCs?

strantor

Member
Join Date
Sep 2010
Location
katy tx
Posts
401
I am bidding a controls design, conveyor-type situation, and one of my client's top priorities is cost savings. They have European AB and Siemens machines in their plant already, and are turned off by the cost of the software and the proprietary nature of their European OEMs (hence why they chose to build their own machine). They don't have the software for the machines currently in their plant and they have no preference going forward.

They want to start out fairly simple but leave room to grow into a more advanced system (possible machine vision, possible integration into their inventory management system, possible integration with other lines, etc). So I am looking to throw a fairly advanced system at a fairly simple application, relatively cheaply. The Productivity 2000/3000 came to mind as I heard about it a while back.

The PLC will need to talk to 10 VFDs over a network, probably Ethernet I/P, so I would like for the chosen PLC to have the comms FBs built in and be easy to network. It will also need to do PID well, but other than that, not a lot going on inside for the foreseeable future.

I've looked at the specs and on paper it looks like a slam dunk, but I would like to hear from someone who has used it, is it as good as it seems? Is it easy to work with? I have used the older Automation Direct software (DirectSOFT) and was not impressed; Hoping this is (much) better. If this software sucks and doubles my programming time, then not much money is saved. I'm primarily an Omron guy, with some Rockwell experience - if that makes a difference in your recommendation.

Thanks in advance!
 
I haven't used them as they aren't easily available across the pond, but am curious about it (mainly from the reviews on this site).

I seem to remember that Automation Direct bundles in a simulator software for free... which can save money as well depending on how the billing for the project is done I suppose.
 
We've been having great service from the P3000 with an OEM we've been working with for the past year or so. Using E/IP for 3-5 drives. They are the closest in form/function we found to AB's line.
The software AD has released for the 3 new series, DoMore, Click and Productivity are head and shoulders above the old DirectSoft. I hope I never have to go back.
 
I have a feeling that you will run short on E/IP connections for 10 drives on E/IP, but they can talk to almost any reasonable number of GS drives from AD.

Aside from that, I've got about 7 panels of P2000's around now, and they all perform well. The oldest in service is about 2 years now, running without a hitch. All are running multiple PID's for environmental controls, and are communicating to a local HMI at each panel, as well as (of course) my Ignition system as a plant wide interface.

The programming isn't as 'slick' as Rockwell, but there are lots of nice shortcut features; I haven't had any problems adapting to it.
 
I'm going to step in and plug their tech support!
I've had to call in several times, and it's great getting instant knowledgeable support. I don't think I've ever been put on hold. And, it's FREE. As the end user, that is so important.

Disclaimer, I haven't used the Productivity series. However, I have used many of the DoMore PLC's. Productivity always caught my eye especially when they came out with the 2000. However, I've got a pretty good handle on the DoMore and don't feel the switch is worth the effort.
 
There is the option of using AB Micro800 series controllers. They are a lot less expensive than AB's other lines and use free programming software. They are a bigger headache to program if you are used to other AB programming packages, but they are a decent option when customers don't want to pay for the programming software but would still like the AB name.
 
I have used the P2000 in two different applications, one of them with three PLCs talking to each other over radio modems. I have some complaints about them, but mostly minor. They number their bits starting with 1 which is to me a fundamental mistake. The software doesn't allow much flexibility for the "child" windows. The Tag Editor, if open, always hogs the foreground, you can't drag and drop addresses like you can with RSLogix, can't as easily toggle bits or edit tag values. All those things can be done, but it takes more steps.

They have some advantages too, like free software, tech support, hassle free firmware updates, 50MB of user memory, robust instruction set, really nice OLED display on the CPU and on some of the analog modules. Comments can be stored in the CPU. The tag monitoring is pretty slick, with good trending. There are lots of communication options built right into the CPU, no need for separate modules to do RS-485, RS-232 and Ethernet. There are not a lot of 3rd party drivers for their tag address scheme, but they let you assign Modbus register numbers to your tags to overcome that. I love their message instructions most of all. In other systems, for efficiency, I have to pack my bits and integers into groups in one PLC and break them back apart in the other...with one message instruction in PSuite, I can mix and match all sorts of different data types in one message as long as the recipient is the same family of processor.

I have not kept up with the latest improvements, but I don't think that support for UDTs has been implemented yet. Ongoing improvements are to be expected.

There is a lot of info here:
https://forum.automationdirect.com/

I would use them again in the right situation. I am curious about the newer DoMore PLCs whose software does include an emulator (Productivity Suite does not). The DoMore may have some advantages over the Productivity Series in the realm of communication. Looks like they're supporting EthernetIP control with it now:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NoMHDMfZ7Q&index=1&list=PLPdypWXY_ROoqTZihvX8c8UUj5GzVCuKH
 
Last edited:
If you have just communication and not allot of IO then you can also look at the Productivity 1000 PLC. Same software as the 2000 and 3000 but priced around the Click level. Built in communication ports: USB for programming, RS232, RS485 and
Ethernet 10/100Mbps
(RJ45 Ethernet port for PLC programming and/or Modbus TCP, EtherNet/IP, custom UDP/TCP connections)
https://www.automationdirect.com/productivity/p1000/index

The Do-More is very easy to program coming from an Omron background.

Regards,
 

Similar Topics

Good Morning , I have worked with many robot integrators through the years ,and was looking at Pearson Packaging Systems . Have many of you used...
Replies
4
Views
2,169
Hello PLCS.net! I'm about to program my first Robot soon! It's going to be a Fanuc. But wait, there's more! It's also going to be collaborative...
Replies
4
Views
3,304
I need to do some simple schematics, I don't need (and would never use) 3D modelling rendering etc. For those with long memories, AutoSketch would...
Replies
20
Views
8,433
Hello all, Is any good analyzing software. We have a bunch of data in text files. Need to analyse. Right now we are using DIadem. Is there any...
Replies
5
Views
2,236
Can someone recommend me a compact device to control logic on/off beacon according to signal from a PIR ? Some RTU maybe. I am newbie in...
Replies
6
Views
2,158
Back
Top Bottom