poll: what is your favorite plc to program

Now I am stuck in CoDeSyS land (2 and 3) and it's ladder is quite terrible but the ST is fantastic.

They've added the in-line ST to the ladder and you can combine function blocks within the ladder. Still, in general, ladder is not CoDeSys' string point. ST is great. There is no other PLC that I'd rather use to run high-level code on. Have you checked out OSCAT?
 
Step 7. Powerful and fast. I learned on AB, used it and Omron for years, then got a customer who is exclusively Siemens and started learning.
 
I have to agree with BobB about the Omron. The CX-One package is clean, flexible, and can be anything from simple to complex depending on how you elect program it.

I'm with BobB as well. I do about 40 applications/year. Fast to programme, flexible and great support both from OMRON as well as here.

Started to use Sysmac Studio for multi-axis servo projects. Well designed and powerful but still way slower to programme. Many simple things are more complex to accomplish than CX-One however many complex things are far easier to accomplish in Sysmac Studio.

Have heard some alarming comments from sales folks that Sysmac Studio is the future direction that OMRON is moving too.

I hope and pray that OMRON will retain CX-One and associated PLC's for the forseeable future!!
 
They've added the in-line ST to the ladder and you can combine function blocks within the ladder. Still, in general, ladder is not CoDeSys' string point. ST is great. There is no other PLC that I'd rather use to run high-level code on. Have you checked out OSCAT?

I just looked at Oscat now that you mentioned it. Very cool. Thanks for sharing. (y)
 
Logix 5000. Much of the reason is because of all of the programming that I can do outside of the Logix environment in Visual Studio (nods to Peter). If I have to do it all in Logix, then it quickly gets dull and frustrating.
 
Logix5000:
  • Tag-based programming is the way to go (sorry, BobB).
  • Make your tags readable, and not some Acronym-y nonsense, and your code becomes self-documenting.
  • The ability to use multiple aliases for an I/O point can also be handy. (single machine with multiple fixtures, for example.
CX-Programmer:
  • Cut my teeth on Omron (I still have my CAPS dongle too).
  • The keyboard shortcuts let me move faster than point-and-click. Especially after modifying them to be closer to Syswin. ;)
  • Any I/O memory not taken up by an actual I/O card can be used as work bits.
Codesys:
Only used it a few of times, but the latest one was to install it on a Raspberry Pi controlling some Ethernet I/O. I wouldn't use it for anything critical, but it did push my geek button.​
 
don't need to get to elaborate in your reason. Just curious what people like.

My favorite ladder logic plc was the slc 5/04 in the late stages.
My favorite now. Mostly because i use it every day and the software isn't buggy, is the M340.

biggest complaint on the M340 is price and lack of cards and slow input cards compared to the competitors. and the sfc in codesys is much better. and no line numbers until you print the structured text routine.

I used an M580 and It was a nightmare for the LL logic. It was super slow to resolve pages for edit and not very user friendly IMO.

I really enjoyed using ProworxNXT . It was really challenging to build all the advanced features from scratch but I think that is what made it fun...most of the time.
 
I do like CX-programmer...

Just got a Productivity 1000 PLC from automation direct. Similar price to the Click.
Free programming that installed easily. Tag based programming, good instruction set, etc.
Will let you know after I've used it for a bit.

Regards,
 
I've worked with AB products (SLC 500 and Micro/ControlLogix) as well as AutomationDirect CLICK and DirectLogix. I would say the *easiest* to use is the CLICK, although it lacks a few features that would make life easier. DirectLogix is the most annoying due to its stack-based programming, but still fairly powerful, and ControlLogix is the most powerful in terms of features and clarity.
My biggest complaint with AB products is the software licensing. It's hugely expensive and painful just to get the RSLogix 5000 on two computers, and there are so many editions of the software, some with limited features, etc. that it becomes a nightmare just to connect to a PLC. I think it would even be OK to charge a bit more for the hardware so they could give the software away free, or at a very reduced rate... I doubt that would hurt their bottom line at all, and it would make lots of people's lives so much easier. Make people happy: they buy more of your products!
I would like to gain experience with the Siemens platform and some others too.

In some cases, I could accomplish much more with a few lines of code (i.e. C, python, etc) in much less space than ladder logic. I've never used structured text in AB (sadly our RSLogix licenses don't allow it), but it would be nice to have a platform that could provide both text-based and ladder code options (hey AutomationDirect, I'm talking to you!).
 
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I use IDEC SmartRelay a rebranded Siemans LOGO. I'm in security sector and use this to replace multiple relays and timers for gate and virtual guard automation. Works well, simple and cost effective.
 

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