AutomationDirect Brings New CPUs, Embedded I/O, to Productivity PLCs

AutomationDirect’s Productivity PLC lineup has been a staple of small and medium-sized PLC applications for many years. The series just received an upgrade with the announcement of two new CPU modules for the Productivity1000 series, along with a set of PLCs that include I/O integrated onto the CPU for a complete standalone solution. Along with these hardware offerings, the Productivity Suite software also benefited from the addition of UDI (user-defined instruction) support for complex custom logic.

New Productivity1000 CPUs

Two new CPUs have been added to support the most advanced and simplest applications. The P1-622 is an enhanced version of the P1-550 CPU that includes a newer USB-C programming connector and uses a latching micro SD card holder with an unmount button on the front to ensure a safer removal process when the CPU is powered on. The P1-622 also benefits from a slightly lower cost than the P1-550, while still boasting the same memory and communication specs.

The two new CPU models for the Productivity1000 PLC series.

The P1-412 is a budget-friendly CPU designed for simpler applications. It includes 32 MB of memory capacity, slightly lower than the 50 MB of the P1-540, the smallest CPU in the series until now. Like the other new CPU, it includes a USB-C programming port and a button to unmount the micro SD card. The single Ethernet port is located on the bottom of the CPU, reducing the footprint to provide the thinnest CPU module in the series.

Mini PLCs With Embedded I/O

Many applications do not require modular I/O. If the I/O is embedded onto the CPU, the step of hardware configuration can be omitted entirely. The only downside to integrated I/O is that the number and type of terminals must fit the project. Therefore, a wide range of model options is available for these mini PLCs. The I/O options include the following types:

• Discrete input
• Discrete input/output combo
• Analog input (current only)
• Thermocouple input
• Analog input/output combo (current only)

The Mini PLCs have many discrete and analog I/O options.

All models in the series include USB-C and RS-232 serial connections, and many models also include Ethernet support. These PLCs can also be expanded with the I/O module catalog already supported by the Productivity1000 series.

New Support for UDIs

The Productivity Suite programming software has also received an upgrade in its latest revision to augment these new PLCs. Support for user-defined instructions (UDIs) has been added. UDIs behave like small sub-routines that exist within a function block, with both input and output data linked to tags. By defining a UDI, the programmer does not need to copy many subroutines into every program, but can instead provide custom instructions to be used across projects using the Productivity Suite platform.

Defining Simple Automation for the Future

AutomationDirect is the go-to choice for many users thanks to the simple programming interface, free software, and the wide variety of connectivity options between the PLCs and peripheral hardware. These new hardware and software expansions only increase the Productivity1000’s usefulness in applications for both modern and future automation solutions.