Free PLC Programming tool

[Stephen Luft]

I wouldn't agree that the hardware is trival. Not all PLCs are created equal when it comes to hardware. There are three parts to the PLC and each part is as important as the others...together, they make the product.

For fear of the advertising police coming to catch me...I will leave it at that....lol.

 

[glaverty]

With all due respect to Ushidayo and Dormat, this is a PLC forum, not an inventor or "mad professor" forum.

The people in here are wonderful. But, we are engineers. We solve problems. Distinct and well-defined problems. We're wonderfully generous of our time and willing to share our expertise to relative strangers from all over the world. (Even though a lot of you use some weird voltages, not to mention frequencies.)

And in here we use PLC's. Existing, tried-and-true PLC's. Like A-B, Siemens, etc.

If Dormat wants to play with circuits that do what PLC's happen to do and can find the tools for free, good for him.

I just don't think that is the intent of this forum.

[rant]
And all the OFF TOPIC discussions that take place here are the intent of the forum? I find it curious that you pick this one to comment on. Or maybe you have commented on all the other ones and I haven't payed attention. Maybe he just wants to build it to see if he can build it, who cares. He's not hurting anybody, don't read it if your not interested. [/rant]

 

[rsdoran]

I made my first post stating I didnt understand what was being asked for because I thought an English translation problem was involved.

I understand that the programming aspect is the hard part or my system would be finished already. I attempted to explain what was needed when attempting to design a system and that existing programming software was specific to a brand.

If you do not like a question, ignore it and move on. I have not seen a rule that stated the question must pertain to how to use a plc. http://www.plcs.net/rules.htm

Some engineers take a career in Research and Development.
There have always been individuals that improve existing products, hence my references to Watt and Ford.

 

[Jimmie_Ohio]

[rant]
And all the OFF TOPIC discussions that take place here are the intent of the forum? I find it curious that you pick this one to comment on. Or maybe you have commented on all the other ones and I haven't payed attention. Maybe he just wants to build it to see if he can build it, who cares. He's not hurting anybody, don't read it if your not interested. [/rant]

I give up.

I've scoured this site and really don't find anything significant about "home grown" PLC's and their development, issues and problems. 99.99% seem to deal with problems from A-B, Siemens, GE, et al.

I apologize if anyone took offense to any of my comments.

 

[Rube]

1. I'm going to develope a PLC...

2. I'm going also to write the software that run inside that PLC.

3. I'm looking for a PLC programming software for the PC that I can write PLC software.

4. I'm looking not for a simple software but for profesional look - with many option - but free !!

1. Okay, I'm listening...

2. Wow, you're in for a lot of work...

3. I thought you said YOU were writing the software?

4. FREE? Ha-ha. If someone has it, don't you think they would want something for it?

Still--good luck. Sounds like a long-term (maybe even fun) project. Now I have to go back and program some A-B stuff.

 

[milmat1]

Jeez Guy's
He just asked a Question......

 

[MarkTTU]

1) I'm going to develope a PLC (The hardware board with all the IO etc.).

2) I'm going also to write the software that run inside that PLC.

3) I'm looking for a PLC programming software for the PC that I can write PLC software. I need this software to save the file inside the PC (in any format - I can convert it - even compile it to my needs).

4) I'm looking not for a simple software but for profesional look - with many option - but free !!

5) It will be helpfull if this software also support simulation.

Thanks,
Doron

1) My hat is off to you. It will be a lot of work, but not unreasonable.

2) Again, probably a lot of work, but very doable.

3) There is a lot of software out there that will save a project file to your PC's hard drive... just pick one.

4) Free? Well there are some, but keep in mind that you may not be able to package this free software with a for sale PLC of your own making. Of course you have not stated that you plan to mass produce and market this PLC so I'm going to assume for now that this is a one time personal project and my advice is go for it.

To those complaining that its been done, there are good ones out there, this isn't the place to discuss it, etc...

I'd rank myself as a newbie to this board and to the PLC world in general, but I think what really sets this board apart is not the fact that we are all here because of our involvement, at some level, with PLCs, but the fact that we openly discuss just about every topic imaginable (all-be-it with a much more engineering mindset than 99% of the general world population).

Do topics here usually involve a PLC, yes, but sometimes only to a very limited degree (electric cars, home projects, etc). Have we had discussions way outside the realm of PLCs? Yes, I can think of a couple of topics that never even mentioned PLCs, but got lots of posts.

Dormat I wish you luck with this project. I'll keep reading, but my electronics classes were a long time ago and I'm not very good with high level languages (anything above ladder is high level) so I may not be of much use, but I'm still interested in reading what happens in your project.

 

[OkiePC]

Dormat, good luck with your project. When you get done, can you build me a modern PC with an ATARI operating system complete with RF converter for my TV?

 

[glaverty]

I give up.

I've scoured this site and really don't find anything significant about "home grown" PLC's and their development, issues and problems. 99.99% seem to deal with problems from A-B, Siemens, GE, et al.

I apologize if anyone took offense to any of my comments.

Don't give up, don't mind me, just went of the meds for an hour or so this morning is all. I don't think you offended any one either. My point was that at least it is PLC related, lots of posts aren't. Like "What laptop to get with a serial port" or "Who gave money for Katrina victims".