Most affordable PLC CPU with EIP

[bill4807]

Hi All,

Here is a fun one.

In your opinion what would be the most affordable plc cpu with EIP "master" communications capability?
No discrete IO is needed, but if its a brick with built in IO then no big deal.

This is only for a testing CPU for our shop. All the PLCs i have here i am using them on projects.

I thought click but that can only be used as an adapter as far as I know. At least thats how i always use it.

Then i thought productivity but they are backordered.
I really dont want to spend over $1K on a L16 AB.

Mitubishi fx5 seems to need me to buy a EIP card. So that combination is probably about $800+

I do not currently have siemens software and do not ant to spend money on software for just this purpose. Unless i can use a development version.

Micro800 i dont know if it is capable or not.

Anything under $500? Maybe?

Thanks,

 

[Jeev]

You will definitely be able to run a Codesys system for a lot less than $500.

 

[ndzied1]

You will definitely be able to run a Codesys system for a lot less than $500.

You can get a CODESYS Control Standard S License to run on a PC or Laptop for $143.00 USD. It has one Ethernet/IP instance. You likely have an extra laptop laying around so hardware cost would be Nil.

Or if you need 2 Ethernet/IP interfaces you would need the CODESYS Control Standard L license. That's $239.00 USD currently.

https://us.store.codesys.com/codesys-control-standard-s-bundle.html

 

[jschulze]

What about a purely software solution running on PC such as one of the following?


https://www.bihl-wiedemann.de/us/products/software/ethernetip-master-simulator


https://pyramidsolutions.com/produc...t-testing-tools/ethernetip-scanner-simulator/


https://sourceforge.net/projects/enipexplorer/

 

[bill4807]

You will definitely be able to run a Codesys system for a lot less than $500.

Interesting.
I Never thought of that, I know nothing right now about codesys though.

 

[bill4807]

You can get a CODESYS Control Standard S License to run on a PC or Laptop for $143.00 USD. It has one Ethernet/IP instance. You likely have an extra laptop laying around so hardware cost would be Nil.

Or if you need 2 Ethernet/IP interfaces you would need the CODESYS Control Standard L license. That's $239.00 USD currently.

https://us.store.co Hi ndzied, Tha...nt know where to start. What is the hardware?

 

[bill4807]

What about a purely software solution running on PC such as one of the following?


https://www.bihl-wiedemann.de/us/products/software/ethernetip-master-simulator


https://pyramidsolutions.com/produc...t-testing-tools/ethernetip-scanner-simulator/


https://sourceforge.net/projects/enipexplorer/

Hi,
Jschulze,

I have never seen this either!
I may mess around with it, it looks free?

 

[bill4807]

I guess i really dont know what the actual application of "codesys" is.
Is it just a common programming language that across multiple brands that support IE61131?

Who on here uses it at work and for what application?

 

[Jeev]

I guess i really dont know what the actual application of "codesys" is.
Is it just a common programming language that across multiple brands that support IE61131?

Who on here uses it at work and for what application?

It's used by a number of vendors. Personally, I have used it on Beckhoff, SEW Eurodrive, FESTO, Eaton and Schneider gear. Being IEC 61131 it will have the languages you are used to, but I find things like being able to execute ST mid ladder or using ST expressions as inputs for ladder functions useful from time to time.

 

[ndzied1]

I guess i really dont know what the actual application of "codesys" is.
Is it just a common programming language that across multiple brands that support IE61131?

Who on here uses it at work and for what application?

From Wikipedia: Codesys is an integrated development environment for programming controller applications according to the international industrial standard IEC 61131-3. CODESYS is developed and marketed by the CODESYS Group that is headquartered in Kempten

You can download the guts of CoDeSys (what I think of as the programming integrated development environment) free right from the CoDeSys group. This lets you create programs and visualizations. It lets you run those programs in simulation mode. It also lets you run programs on your computer as a "soft PLC" for limited amounts of time for education and testing. When doing this you can even use ethernet fieldbus interfaces to communicate with real hardware.

What you don't get directly from CoDeSys group is the ability to run these programs on hardware. The link between the programs and the hardware are called targets and devices. Here is where the hardware manufacturers come into play.

Hardware companies that rely on CoDeSys for programming their hardware have customized/branded versions of CoDeSys that include targets, devices and libraries for using their hardware. For instance Eaton has XSoft that is used for programing their plcs. Bosch Rexroth has IndraWorks for programming their hardware. Each hardware company may incorporate just the CoDeSys basics or some or all of additional modules that CoDeSys has for engineering, CNC, Safety etc.

Hope this helps explain things a little better.

 

[JesperMP]

What you don't get directly from CoDeSys group is the ability to run these programs on hardware. The link between the programs and the hardware are called targets and devices. Here is where the hardware manufacturers come into play.

You mean classical PLC hardware ?
You can get a packaged industrial Linux box with Codesys from Kunbus:
https://revolutionpi.com/revpi-connect-codesys.
500 €. I think an Ethernet/IP license costs extra.
As far as I know, this combo is actually quite potent.

 

[Old Man]

Node Red running on PC or if you want something more like a PLC get a Raspberry Pi with Node Red.

 

[g.mccormick]

https://www.automationdirect.com/ad...uctivity2000_plcs_(micro-modular)/cpus/p2-622

The Productivity P2k CPU in stock.
With 4 slot rack and DC power supply it comes in at $491 and all showing in-stock right now.

Or Codesys.

 

[dwoodlock]

These days I program almost exclusively in rexroth flavor codesys whether it be in Indraworks engineering, or CtrlX Works.

Different companies basically take vanilla codesys and put their skin on it, but the bones remain the same. It is capable of using all your standard IEC61131 languages and more.

Its more common in Europe than US for sure, but if you're open to getting familiar with a new programming system there's no reason it can't do what you want it to do.

I have a Raspberry pi running codesys at home that I use basically for homebrew projects, and its amazing what that little thing can do for a 10$ piece of hardware, and a 60$ license(runtime shuts down after 2hrs unlicensed and you have to manually restart). For science I created an ethercat master and connected to some remote IO, and it worked fine, and actually capable of super high clock speeds. Includes Ethernet IP scanner/adapter, I just dont typically use them.

https://store.codesys.com/en/codesys-control-for-raspberry-pi-sl.html

 

[Zensequitur]

I am a huge fan of CoDeSys based environments. Having worked with WAGO's older stuff based on CoDeSys 2, not to mention I also worked at Beckhoff, and became quite familiar with TwinCAT platform, and the CoDeSys components used in TC2 and TC3 for their PLC functionality.

It takes some effort, and depends a lot on what kind of PC you can utilize, but If you are looking for a nearly free test PLC option the following is hard to beat.
I like to keep a spare PC running Windows 10, (Win 7 would work too), with TwinCAT 3 XAE and XAR installed. From this PC I can use TwinCAT test plc code ideas and even use it to diagnose EtherCAT hardware.

For Ethernet/IP specific access...
There are two packages for TC3 TF6281 (Scanner) and TF6280 (Adapter). These are functional using 7-day trial licenses. You can generate 7-Day trial licenses as often as needed, and most of the functionality is available without having to source hardware, save locating a suitable spare PC.


Regards,
Patrick