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The Allen-Bradley Logix family of controllers is considered the most popular programmable logic controller family in the US. It consists of numerous variants but for this comparison we will look at the ControlLogix, CompactLogix and MicroLogix PLCs. By comparison, Siemens is much more common in Europe where their extensive line of PLCs are used in automation control systems throughout industries. The Siemens PLC equivalents for Allen-Bradley’s Logix family members above are part of the Siemens SIMATIC controller family and consist of the S7-200, S7-300, and S7-400 as direct comparisons. General Differences Before diving into unit by unit comparisons, we can first discuss some general differences between the Allen-Bradley and Siemens PLC lines: Performance – Both Allen Bradley and Siemens PLC groups have similar speeds and reliability. Their outputs are also close in number as well. The main differences in performance comes in their ease of use and how they integrate into control...
Like the other entrants in the MicroLogix series, the MicroLogix 1500 is small and can be expanded to fit a wide range of control and communication requirements. The 1500 is also expandable to 512 I/O points and is the most powerful in the MicroLogix family in terms of capabilities. As an addition to the MicroLogix 1100 and 1200 series family members, The MicroLogix 1500 has three base options with a removable processor and an updateable flash OS. With its numerous embedded as well as expandable I/O, the 1500 is a workhorse within the MicroLogix family. Main differences between the 1500 and other MicroLogix family members include: Central Processing Unit – Perhaps the biggest distinction between the MicroLogix 1500 and the other members of the MicroLogix Family is that the 1500 is a two-part system. One component consists of the controller, of which there are three base models, the 1764-24BWA, the 1764-24AWA and the 1764-28BXB. The second component is the central processing unit...
In today’s connected factory, visualization and interaction through human machine interfaces (HMI) are critical components of any control system. The PanelView family of HMI devices from Allen-Bradley is ideal for small, medium and large HMI systems. By leveraging the power of these devices, HMIs become scalable, adaptable and perfect for managing critical data and machine level inputs. Before you can determine whether the PanelView 700 or PanelView 1000 is best suited for your needs, one must understand that there are several families within the PanelView ecosystem. Each of these family groups have a 700 and 100 series, but there are differences in the two programming platforms that should be considered. An older offering from the Allen-Bradley line, the PanelView 6 consists of the PanelView Plus 6 and the PanelView Plus 6 Compact. The PanelView Plus 6 platform is used for applications with a larger footprint that connect with many controllers. This platform supports older...
The MicroLogix 1400 series was designed to be small, versatile and expandable to suit a variety of control and communication needs. These controllers offer EtherNet/IP, as well as online editing of programming. They also feature a larger number of I/O compared to other MicroLogix family members. And the MicroLogix 1400 series can enhance network functionality and offer a range of features to help build a customized control solution for a wide range of applications. As part of a family of small programmable logic controllers, the MicroLogix 1400 offers a step up with an expansion of capabilities over other members in this family. Built upon the successful capabilities of the MicroLogix 1100, the 1400 series offers many of the same features but with a more robust feature set on some functionalities including: Increased I/O – The 1400 increases the embedded digital I/O count from 16 in the 1100 to 32. It also doubles the embedded analog I/O on some versions from the 2 offered by the 1000...
We are living in an ever-connected world. It is expected that by 2025, there will be over 75 billion connected devices worldwide. And while personal gadgets, smart homes and smart cities account a large part of those devices, there is an equally fervent push to digitize and automate factories as well. One estimate states that by the end of 2020, 80% of manufacturing companies will adopt some type of IoT technology. And the same urgency of adoption is taking place in utilities, transportation and logistics. In the industrial, warehousing and utilities sectors, much of this control is aimed at empowering the automation of equipment to perform tasks at a faster, more accurate and more productive rate. And this equipment needs control systems and ever improving control technology to adapt to these new requirements. It is easy to assume that these requirements involve large and complex buildouts connecting an entire factory or enterprise. And while that is certainly the case for larger...
Starting and stopping seem like simple concepts. But when it comes to motor controls, not only the speed of the stop and start matter, but “how” they stop matters as well. Starting solutions come in a wide array of options. Across-the-line starters are the simplest style of motor starter. Here, full voltage is applied to the motor terminals for situations where the inrush current of the motor does not cause excessive voltage drops within the supply circuit. This is often the case for simple pumps, compressors and conveyors. For applications requiring greater loads and for high degrees of variation of the specific loads placed on motors, variable frequency drives (VFD) may be used. These drives consist of an AC motor, a main drive controller and an operator/drive interface. Because of their range of speed and control, VFDs are used for process control across a variety of industrial and commercial applications for speed, flow, pressure, temperature and torque, as well as many others...
In today’s manufacturing environments, few companies can remain competitive without extensive industrial automation. Automation speeds processes, reduces errors, allows for precision manufacturing and ensures factory level control and maintenance over the system of production. It also reduces operator fatigue by eliminating manual tasks thus improving quality. Just as important as the automation functions are the safety features built into the controllers that drive this automation. These safety features are created by use of safety circuits within the automation control panels themselves and are first and foremost designed to provide safe operation for equipment operators and technicians. Aside from reducing risk of injury to those performing tasks on the equipment, safety circuits within control panels also reduce risk by allowing for safe operation to protect damage to expensive capital equipment and to reduce waste through loss of material caused by equipment malfunction. As a...
There are hundreds of Allen Bradley 1336 Drives, all of which are controlled by a microprocessor. We focus on comparing the technical specs of the Allen Bradley 1336 Drives, IMPACT Drives, and PLUS Drives in this post. Check out details on Allen Bradley 1336 Drives based on your desired specifications and see the link in each section for further insight. Allen Bradley 1336 Drives are adjustable frequency AC drives that feature handheld programming terminals. The drives are microprocessor-controlled and high-performance units that guide 3-phase industrial applications. The output voltage is determined as a function of the output frequency and adjusts for alignment with motor parameters. Catalog # Input Voltage Hz Phases Amps Out KVA Out @ 380V AC KVA Out @ 415V AC KVA Out at 460V AC Enclosure Type 1336-B003-EAD 380/415/460V AC 50/60 3 6 3.9 4.3 4.8 NEMA Type 1 (IP20) 1336-B005-EAD-FA2 380/415/460V AC 50/60 3 9.6 6.3 6.9 7.6 NEMA Type 1 (IP20) 1336-B007-EAD-FA2 380/415/460V AC 50/60 3...
Allen Bradley has two classes of low voltage drives, their Compact Class and their Architecture Class. The PowerFlex 7x families are part of the Architecture Class of drive, with the 70/700 series being the previous generation to the current 75x series drives. First off, one note about these drives. They are the previous generation of drives from Allen Bradley, and while many of the various models are still being supported by AB as Active Mature products, many of these drives are no longer being offered or supported. If you’re looking to upgrade an existing drive and are looking at the 70/700 series, you should also look at the 753 and 755 series drives. A drives expert can help you with the corresponding drive in both families, a conversation that is definitely worth having. The Powerflex 70 drive is the baseline model of the 7x families of Architecture Class drives. With power ranges from 0.5 through 50HP, and voltage ranges of 200-600VAC, these drives can handle pretty much all but...
Before we dive into the specifics of this processor selection guide, it is important to bring up a few points about picking a controller. While the controller is the main piece to a control system, the best controller will fail if the remainder of the control system isn’t paired properly with it. The biggest, baddest controllers will cover for a lot of mistakes throughout the rest of your system, but they’ll expose just as many weaknesses as they make up for. This blog post will help you select the highest end family of Allen-Bradley’s controllers, the ControlLogix line. But, just as the article says, please sit down and converse with an expert. Plan the system, design it according to the plan, execute according to the design. With the knowledge you’ll gain from this article and the collaboration with those people who research these things on a daily basis, you’ll have more than a successful implementation, you’ll have a control system that will bestow great benefits upon you for...
The Allen Bradley Panelview 800 family is the generational replacement for the Panelview Component family. As of July 2018, the Panelview Component family was discontinued and no longer from sale from the manufacturer, with the Panelview 800 as a functional replacement. For those applications currently using Panelview Component HMI’s, this comparison will help determine which Panelview 800 would be the appropriate replacement. The Panelview Component family debuted in 2010 and was designed for micro and small automation applications. Screen sizes ranged from 2” to 10”, with the 2” having additional function buttons and the 3” and 4” screens having options for additional function buttons. Screens were either monochromatic or up to 256 color RGB. Power requirements for the units was 24VDC and from 3.5W to 18W for the smaller to the largest screens. Connectivity was via Ethernet or serial communications. In general, these were simple, smaller, easy to use screens that utilized Panelview...
While Allen Bradley is most well-known for its Logix controllers, their PowerFlex drives have also been a large contributor to their growth in the automation market. Currently, the PowerFlex 520 and 750 series are the primary offerings for Allen Bradley drives but the PowerFlex 4/40/400 series is still supported by Rockwell and still is a great choice for certain applications. The PowerFlex 4 series is one of Allen Bradley’s low-cost, no-frills drive offerings, with the PowerFlex 4M drive being the primary offering in this group. With power ratings of up to 5HP in the PowerFlex 4 and 15HP in the 4M, these drives offer simple setup and control in a compact package with a low cost. The main features of this series are feed-through wiring on the 4M, volts per hertz control, and RS-485 communications (with others available through optional modules.) This drive series is a standard offering on most OEM delivered machines, based on the cost for performance. The feed through wiring...
With the current trend in machine safety being moving towards integrated control and safety functions, Allen Bradley (like most other major suppliers) offers two versions of its main control platforms, the Logix line of controllers. Based on application size and complexity, facilities will use either the CompactLogix or ControlLogix controller platforms for control. Adding safety features onto these controllers, Allen Bradley offers the Compact GuardLogix and GuardLogix (ControlLogix) functional safety rated controllers. As these controllers are updated and improved, there have been several generations of safety rated controllers. With a future trend towards integrating data, safety, and control into one unit for increased productivity, we will continue to see improvements, both evolutionary and revolutionary. The ControlLogix (1756 family) and CompactLogix (1768, 1769, and 5069 families) Programmable Automation Controllers are the primary controllers in Allen Bradley’s offering. The...
The Kinetix family of Motion drives is broken up into several series, each with different focuses. The Kinetix 6000 and its descendant 6200 series are both multi-axis systems utilizing the SERCOS interface for control. Generational improvements in the 6200 series include advanced safety options and a more modular design. Beyond these generational improvements the 6000 and 6200 series are very similar, as the 6200 is designed as a straightforward replacement for 6000 series drives. The Kinetix 6000 series motion drive is a modular, multi-axis, compact servo drive system that reduces required wiring and programming. It’s rated for 1.2 through 22 kW power output, and two nominal voltages – 240VAC and 480VAC in 3 phase configurations. Built-in hardwired Safe Torque Off is available, giving a PLd, SIL3 certification. The feature that separates the 6000 series from its predecessors is the SERCOS communications protocol, a system utilizing fiber optic hardware and high-performance...
The Kinetix 300 and Kinetix 350 are both parts of Allen Bradley’s Kinetix Motion Control Family. Both components are motion drives, and they’re very similar in functionality, with some significant exceptions. Both the Kinetix 300 and Kinetix 350 are single axis motion drives. Both drives have been positioned as a low-cost solution for simple motion applications. Both drives accept either 120VAC, 240VAC, or 480VAC input power, and provide between 0.4 and 3.0 KW of output power. Both drives have a 2.0 – 12.0 amp continuous rated output current for all voltage ranges. Control is via Ethernet/IP with supplemental digital inputs. Both drives can run 240 volt motors at full speed using 120VAC input power. Basically, on the power side of the drives these drives are the same. Both drives utilize functional safety techniques, with Safe Torque Off functionality built in giving them a PLd or SIL2 rating. The differences on the control side for each drive are significant. Both the Kinetix 300 and...
