Alternative programming to SLC 500 series?

N

Thread Starter

Natev2

Hello,

I'm a student in a local tech college that teaches construction electrical work, among PLC controls. Some of the classes are kind of blended. For example, in the electrician courses, as I call them, we do get some basic PLC training: essentially, just programming and running the systems.

I've been in this course for about a year and a half, and have made friends with the teaches. As such, they have claimed me as their "Electronic scrap man"...this has allowed me to acquire many different items that they do not use, or need; those of which I'll get into later, on request.

Anyway, I was given the opportunity to part out a PLC trainer: 17 lamps, 17 switches, a precision pot and DC milliamp meter. Unfortunately, they said they needed the input and output cards, which left me with the 5/03 processor, and an analog input/output card, all on a 7 slot rack. I may have alternative sources for cards, though, so that's not really a big deal.

Now, to my question: I know how to program using ladder logic, but I was wondering if there is any other way at all that the system can be programmed, such as JAVA coding, or whatever there is available. I got the whole thing for free, so it's really no big deal if I have to modify it.

Thanks, everyone,
-Nate

PS: I am going to use this device to control some Christmas lights in my apartment, just because I can and got it for free.
 
Only the RSLogix 500 development/compiler software can program the SLC-500 controllers. PLCs just don't have open IDEs like microcontrollers do.

The modular SLC-500 series needs at least the Starter Edition of RSLogix 500, which is about a $600 license. The "Micro Lite" version is free but only supports two models of MicroLogix (1000 and 1100).
 
> The modular SLC-500 series needs at least the Starter Edition of RSLogix
> 500, which is about a $600 license. The "Micro Lite" version is free but only
> supports two models of MicroLogix (1000 and 1100).

Well, that's a ridiculous price. Thanks. I'll see if the school has any software to spare.
 
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