PLC Question

[fifty60]

When working with PLC's, Allen Bradley, GE, Siemens, for example, are the routines/drivers often provided when integrating a new piece of hardware? For example, when adding a barcode scanner, does the barcode scanner company often provide the ladder logic code to make the device work with the PLC platform it will be deployed on?

 

[merc1136]

I have 20 years experience integrating devices into PLCs and almost every time I have had to write my own interface or get a reference from someone who had already done it. I haven't integrated a bar code scanner specifically in 10 years, back then they were RS232 and communicated ASCII. Most things now are Ethernet/Profinet and much easier to manage.

 

[just the cowboy]

Some have examples

Some have examples

Some have examples on how to program, sometime the PLC manufacture has examples. Also on forums like PLCtalk.net some post examples.

 

[petersonra]

When working with PLC's, Allen Bradley, GE, Siemens, for example, are the routines/drivers often provided when integrating a new piece of hardware? For example, when adding a barcode scanner, does the barcode scanner company often provide the ladder logic code to make the device work with the PLC platform it will be deployed on?

sometimes yes, sometimes no. sometimes the PLC manufacturer has sample code. sometimes the sample code is generic, sometimes pretty specific.

if you buy this kind of hardware from 3rd parties such as RT Automation or Prosoft, they usually have stuff that either works or is readily adaptable.

bar code scanners are mostly ASCII devices and ASCII is usually quite easy to work with in PLCs that support it. sometimes the ascii is wrapped inside ethernet.

 

[fifty60]

Great information. I have one scanner that is ethernet, and definitely provides an EDS file to set up the profile. The other is RS232, and I cannot find any information about an EDS file. Is the EDS file only intended to be for ethernet devices, or would I expect to have an EDS file for RS232 devices as well?

 

[petersonra]

EDS just means electronic data sheet. Some networks rely heavily on them, some don't seem to care much if you have one or not.

I doubt an RS232 device would have one.