Intro, And Question.

[GRNDPNDR]

First of all let me say hello and give you a little background on me. I'm 30, in school for electromechanical engineering technician and have a fairly technical/mechanical background as a trade-off for knowing jack about sports like most guys.....but I can make a living with my knowledge

Now that that's out of the way I've come here in search of knowledge, but more importantly right now I'm wondering if there is a simulator I can use of some kind that will let me do my homework at home (It's in the freakin' name).

Currently we are using AB PLC's, I don't know much about the actual hardware in terms of processors used or how to identify exactly what we are using, but I believe they are the Logix5561 model, with a 1756-L61 processor(??? would that be correct?) and RSLogix 5000 Ent. R19.11 (and 19.01 depending on the lab you're in)

Of all my courses I think I love automation the most, and would really like to be able to do my homework at home. Nothing would please me more than owning a PLC/RSLogix to build a practice setup at home but I can't afford that.

Is there anything that will let me do my work at home, practice and simulate PLCs that are at least close to what we use at school physically?

I don't know enough about interchangeability between models/processors to make an accurate determination.

Thank you and sorry for the long winded post, as an engineer(ing tech) its my job to provide details

 

[The Plc Kid]

Here is a 90 day demo of logix 5000 but it is V 17.000 http://www.rockwellautomation.com/rockwellsoftware/design/rslogix5000/demo.html

 

[The Plc Kid]

With this link you can get logix 500 starter with linx and the emulator free.

http://www.ab.com/linked/programmablecontrol/plc/micrologix/downloads.html

 

[GRNDPNDR]

Thanks for that, but if I'm not mistaken, programs written at school on version 19 won't load on version 17.

I did happen across a thread on here about ways to back convert them but couldn't this be problematic?

We have one file that we use that contains our assignments and labs as separate programs and tasks.

As this file grows would it not be harder and harder to get it loaded into version 17?

at the very least I would like to be able to print changes at home so I can duplicate them at school but the demo doesn't print?!

 

[GRNDPNDR]

With this link you can get logix 500 starter with linx and the emulator free.

http://www.ab.com/linked/programmablecontrol/plc/micrologix/downloads.html

will 500 serve my purposes? I still haven't been able to find out what the differences between 500 and 5000 are.

 

[alan_505]

RSLogix500 is for SLC and MicroLogix processors and will not work for the ControlLogix processors, for that you will have to use RSLogix5000.

Alan

RSlogix500 uses fixed type of data tables for of the PLC elements
RSLogix5000 uses, user defined dynamic data tables for the PLC elements

 

[GlennA]

Also, I think 5000 is required for GuardLogix plc's.