Studio v36 news / rumors?

[tlf30]

It is that time again,
No news, but as for rumors I have heard that we may hear something more at Automation Fair this year.

Anyone hear/know anything that they can share?

 

[Operaghost]

It is that time again,
No news, but as for rumors I have heard that we may hear something more at Automation Fair this year.

Anyone hear/know anything that they can share?

V36 was required for the new Echo that finally will support CompactLogix controllers. We had hands on a beta for both for a week. At AF we should hear all the new stuff coming (supposedly in November). I saw some details on FT View v14.

OG

 

[Sparky22]

I've been away from the Rockwell world for a while. What is Echo? Please tell me it's not from Amazon.

 

[cardosocea]

I've been away from the Rockwell world for a while. What is Echo? Please tell me it's not from Amazon.

Rockwell's version of PLCSim... about 20 years late, but it's progress I guess.



It also provides an interface to the "PLC" to theoretically allow you to create unit testing, but it's clunky as hell and not really usable in comparison with, for example, PyLogix.

 

[tlf30]

V36 was required for the new Echo that finally will support CompactLogix controllers. We had hands on a beta for both for a week. At AF we should hear all the new stuff coming (supposedly in November). I saw some details on FT View v14.

OG

Interesting. We still do not use Echo, mostly because for the price we can just get L81E controllers on the bench. It does not make sense to us to pay for a simulation product that is more expensive than the real deal. It would be good to see IO simulation added to Echo. RA keeps telling us that it supports it, but when we demo'ed it, it did not have anything for it that we could see. It is interesting that they are adding compactlogix support.

I have heard some confidential information from RA on v36 firmware features that I cannot share here, but they were not sure that the features were going to make it in the final release. So I'm still questioning what the new confirmed features are. (I guess I can wait a few more days to find out since I'll be at Automation Fair )

Unlike v34 or v35, I have not seen any technotes reference v36 yet.

 

[mk42]

It is that time again,
No news, but as for rumors I have heard that we may hear something more at Automation Fair this year.

Anyone hear/know anything that they can share?

Can we start our own rumors for funsies?


I heard v36 will have a new accessory that 3D prints a chocolate chip muffin whenever you DL to the PLC. Unfortunately there's a bug in the last release candidate that makes them blueberry muffins instead.

 

[tlf30]

Can we start our own rumors for funsies?


I heard v36 will have a new accessory that 3D prints a chocolate chip muffin whenever you DL to the PLC. Unfortunately there's a bug in the last release candidate that makes them blueberry muffins instead.

In that case, I heard that Logix Designer and Echo will be free starting with v36

 

[cardosocea]

Anyone hear/know anything that they can share?

This year they put a 36 on the box...

Interesting. We still do not use Echo, mostly because for the price we can just get L81E controllers on the bench. It does not make sense to us to pay for a simulation product that is more expensive than the real deal. It would be good to see IO simulation added to Echo.

I'm hazarding a guess that IO simulation will never actually be a thing now.

Echo (V2.0 at least) does allow you to automate your testing/simulation (what the software people call Unit testing). You can programatically write to the controller tags (which may be your inputs and it even works on safety inputs) and also "speed up the program processing" as well. Say you want to test if the alarm comes on after 20 seconds, you can simply tell the controller to move forward 20 seconds rather than tell your program to wait for 21 seconds.
The issue is that Rockwell always half asses things (just setting the Echo SDK is a nightmare) and it will take decades until this is as polished as the Siemens stuff, but it seems to be on their radar.

 

[tlf30]

OK. After automation fair here is what I can confirm.

* V36 has both an OPC client and server in the controller for L8x.
* V3 of Echo will have an expanded feature set, which will provide even deeper integration with Emulate3D. Emulate3D can be used for IO emulation.

Other information I have is not yet public, I do think there was some other small changes in v36 that were made public, but I don't recall what those were.

 

[dmroeder]

Can we start our own rumors for funsies?

I heard that they'll finally be able to render the value of an indirectly addressed string when used in any of the compare instructions.

 

[I_Automation]

Can we start our own rumors for funsies?


I heard v36 will have a new accessory that 3D prints a chocolate chip muffin whenever you DL to the PLC. Unfortunately there's a bug in the last release candidate that makes them blueberry muffins instead.

Years ago I worked for a distributor for lawnmowers and a dealer called me complaining the new mowers he bought didn't do something. Don't remember exactly what but do remember it was something no lawnmower will ever do - something like make coffee or change the oil in a car -seriously.


I asked him why he thought any lawnmower would do that and he said that our salesman told him it would. He's a salesman selling things himself and he believed another salesman's BS hype.


But I do hope the rumor I heard about ver 36 including an integrated UDT/AOI for implementing operator training collar transmitters into the alarms is real.

 

[JeremyM]

It's released.

New features
--------------------------------------------
Axis Test Mode for Safety
In this version of the Logix Designer application, Axis Test Mode allows a Logix Motion Application developer to develop and test an application program without controller network connections to a complete set of physical CIP Motion drives, motors, or machine components. Axis Test Mode works in conjunction with FactoryTalk Logix Echo, so you can test application programs on an emulated setup. With a simple change of target, you can expect that same logic to work on the real hardware.
--------------------------------------------
Granular Safety Signatures
In this version of the Logix Designer application, the safety signature is a hierarchy of multiple safety signature elements. For example, the safety task, programs, and routines are examples of safety signature elements. Use imitated safety element signatures during impact analysis to help identify the individual changes within a controller project. It might reduce your certification effort if your validation plan does not require re-validation of unchanged elements. To view all safety signature elements for a project, run the Safety Signature report in the Logix Designer application.
--------------------------------------------
OPC UA
This version of Logix Designer application adds the OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) at the controller level. You can configure ControlLogix 5580 and CompactLogix 5380 controllers to work as an OPC server or as a client. Use message instructions to configure OPC UA.


Enhanced features
--------------------------------------------
Multiple Device Interactions
This version of the Logix Designer application allows you to cut, copy, and paste multiple devices. Cut or copy once and paste the devices multiple times. Import and export multiple devices simultaneously.
--------------------------------------------
Motion Indirect Addressing
In this version of the Logix Designer application, you can use ID number reference for the axis or coordinate system parameter in motion instructions. Using ID number references can help simplify your code and improve system performance and memory utilization.
--------------------------------------------
Import all and export all
In this version of the Logix Designer application, you can select Export all and Import all to export and import all of the EDS files, IO-Link IODD files, and HART DD files between workstations.
--------------------------------------------
Additional safety instruction and operator support
In the Logix Designer application version 36.00 you can use these instructions in safety routines on CompactLogix 5380, CompactLogix 5480, ControlLogix 5580, Compact GuardLogix 5380, and GuardLogix 5580 controllers. All standard operators are now also available in safety routines.
ACOS, IsNAN, ASIN, LFL, ATAN, LFU, AVE, LN, BSL, LOG, BSR, RAD, COS, SIN, DEG, STD, FFL, TAN, FFU, TO_BCD, BCD_TO, TRUNC, IsINF, XPY
--------------------------------------------
Updated instruction mnemonics
In this version of the Logix Designer application, the mnemonics for these instructions have been updated to align with IEC 61131-3 and PLCopen standards.
Arc Cosine: ACS ->ACOS
Arc Sine: ASN->ASIN
Arc Tangent: ATN->ATAN
Convert to BCD: TOD ->TO_BCD
Convert to Integer: FRD -> BCD_TO
Equal To: EQU -> EQ
Greater Than: GRT -> GT
Greater Than or Equal To: GEQ -> GE
Less Than or Equal To: LEQ -> LE
Less Than: LES -> LT
Limit: LIM -> LIMIT
Move: MOV -> MOVE
Not Equal To: NEQ -> NE
Square Root: SQR -> SQRT
Truncate: TRN -> TRUNC
X to the Power of Y: XPY -> EXPT

 

[tlf30]

Thanks Jeremy,
I just got it installed.

FYI, your PM inbox is full.

 

[JeremyM]

Ahhh. Thanks.

/ PMs fixed

 

[tlf30]

So I attempted to flash v36 to an 1756-L81E controller, and the flash failed. Now the controller will not take any firmware. Just as a warning, I would not touch it yet. I need to get RA on the phone to get this controller running again.