Future of the AB MicroLogix and RS Logix 500 ?

[janner_10]

If AB could just release a S7-1200 type range @ the correct price point.

1769-L16 (£1045 - 45% discount) v S7-1200 starter set (inc 7" HMI - £745 - 25% discount)

It's crazy how far off they are with a small PLC offering for basic projects.

 

[kracin]

If AB could just release a S7-1200 type range @ the correct price point.

1769-L16 (£1045 - 45% discount) v S7-1200 starter set (inc 7" HMI - £745 - 25% discount)

It's crazy how far off they are with a small PLC offering for basic projects.

"small" projects like the micrologix used to handle?

that's what the micro800 series is for.

a micro850 is only 600 before any discounts.

 

[janner_10]

You carry on then if you think that it is anywhere near what the S7-1200 is.

 

[geniusintraining]

You carry on then if you think that it is anywhere near what the S7-1200 is.

I do not want to get into a AB vs Siemens (another one)

Hardware:
I would think that the 870 is comparable to the 1200

https://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/pp/2080-pp006_-en-p.pdf

Software:
CCW is has some catching up to do if they want to play with TIA

 

[Rson]

"small" projects like the micrologix used to handle?

that's what the micro800 series is for.

a micro850 is only 600 before any discounts.

Yes, but the software is such a downgrade it isn't worth using. If they could get it to use RSLogix 500, I'd be buying them all day.

 

[JesperMP]

I do not want to get into a AB vs Siemens (another one)

I feel you on this one. But it is not AB vs Siemens, it is micro800 vs S7-1200. One can argue objectively pro et con.

S7-1200 belongs to the Siemens TIA platform, which means the programming of the S7-1200 is the same as the 'bigger' S7-1500.
Traning on an S7-1200 is a good entry point to learn S7-1500.

micro800 does not share anything with the 'bigger' AB PLCs ControlLogix and CompactLogix.
I dont think that micro800 is nearly as good an entry point to learn ControlLogix.

 

[JesperMP]

If they could get it [micro800] to use RSLogix 500, I'd be buying them all day.

I feel nostalgic about RSLogix500, but the programming concept is arcaic.
Rockwell should make micro800 compatible with the 'Logix' platform. Why not, what is stopping them ?

 

[geniusintraining]

micro800 does not share anything with the 'bigger' AB PLCs ControlLogix and CompactLogix.
I dont think that micro800 is nearly as good an entry point to learn ControlLogix.

Rockwell should make micro800 compatible with the 'Logix' platform. Why not, what is stopping them ?

Great point... not that anyone listens to us but that would of been great if they sold a cheap version of Studio that was able to program the 800 series, then they could of captured a MUCH larger market and everyone would of been buying the 800s

 

[ArcReactorKC]

I feel nostalgic about RSLogix500, but the programming concept is arcaic.
Rockwell should make micro800 compatible with the 'Logix' platform. Why not, what is stopping them ?

You've been around long enough to know exactly what is stopping them.

"you can do it better but not more expensive"

RA/AB have always made things somewhat convoluted because it has always financially benefited them. While it's not as true now as it was 20 years ago when they were practically the only name anybody outside of the industry knew they still live off of that legacy.
Every college and tech school I know still teaches almost exclusively RA 5/500/5000 and all but ignores there are competitors. So when the student leaves school they still carry that "RA/AB is best" mentality.

They absolutely should bring it into the Studio5000 package. It might convince me and those like me to start using them. Until then I'll continue with AD and Siemens processors for less money.

We can all dream though right?

 

[arpus4KM]

Great point... not that anyone listens to us but that would of been great if they sold a cheap version of Studio that was able to program the 800 series, then they could of captured a MUCH larger market and everyone would of been buying the 800s

I'm fairly certain they wanted a way to catch more people into their productline. so offering a free programming software on a "smaller" platform is the way to grab people in.

and AIO (All in one) package that you can do your HMI, Peripherals, and programming in one package.... It may not be nearly the same as studio/logix designer, but they did appear to just purchase the software from another company right? They likely didn't care much about the difference because it was meant as a stepping stone or entry level to get people into their product line with not much upfront.


you can have a working simple automation project for 500 dollars of physical AB equipment and software.

 

[geniusintraining]

They could of got a lot more by offering another version of Studio, just like they offered a 150.00 version of RSLogix 500, 99% of the people using CCW would be happy to pay for a cheap version that was limited to the 800's, but as ArcReactorKC said we can all just dream

The advantage for them most people would step up to the 1769-L1x and L2x series when needed but now they will look at Siemens/AD/etc because they need to learn a new platform anyway.

 

[Engineerj22]

I am 99% an AB guy, but I bought the s7-1200 trainer, because knowing 1 most popular in the US is good, but also learning the second most popular too is also a good thing. It got me a job upgrading a SLC to a s7-1500. So I think it was worth it.

 

[Rson]

I am 99% an AB guy, but I bought the s7-1200 trainer, because knowing 1 most popular in the US is good, but also learning the second most popular too is also a good thing. It got me a job upgrading a SLC to a s7-1500. So I think it was worth it.

Not to badmouth learning another system, but Siemens might become pretty worthless in the US if they don't start stocking stuff here.

Most of their PLC products are sitting at a 38-52 week lead time. Hard to use the stuff if you can't get it. We have many projects right now where we have to tell customers wait a year or switch PLC brands.

 

[janner_10]

Not to badmouth learning another system, but Siemens might become pretty worthless in the US if they don't start stocking stuff here.

Most of their PLC products are sitting at a 38-52 week lead time. Hard to use the stuff if you can't get it. We have many projects right now where we have to tell customers wait a year or switch PLC brands.

Long lead times is mostly every manufacturer right now worldwide.

 

[geniusintraining]

long lead times is mostly every manufacturer right now worldwide.

+1