SoftPLC ® Redefining Automation Technology

What is SoftPLC  ?  PC-Based Control - “Catch-all” phrase for a wide variety of solutions  SoftPLC - a specific technical implementation of PC-Based Control; a registered trademark of SoftPLC Corporation since 1988

What is SoftPLC?  SoftPLC Control Software turns a PC into an open architecture automation controller  Embedded software, dedicated system  Features of proprietary PLC’s (I/O control, PID) PLUS features of computers (flexibility, networking, low cost options)

SoftPLC Corp. - A Brief History  1983: Tele-Denken Resources founded by former A-B employees  1984: TOPDOC PLC programming/documentation software  1985: SoftWIRES PLC emulation/simulation & process modeling software  1988: SoftPLC - a combination of existing proven technologies & new ideas  1996: Renamed to SoftPLC Corporation

SoftPLC - Innovators & Visionaries  Many industry first software inventions  Embrace open technologies  Apply technologies developed for fast moving software/computer industries to controls industry  Reliability and deterministic performance always comes first

SoftPLC - Customer Partnerships  Privately held, small business  Treasure customer feedback  Focused, experts in our chosen area  Excellent customer service & support  USACE Example: "I can't remember a time in the last 20 years that a vendor went to the lengths that SoftPLC Corp. did to ensure our projects were a success.”  Worldwide network of distributors and system integrators

SoftPLC Runtime Software Functionality & Features

SoftPLC Architecture Overview Block Diagram of SoftPLC’s Internal, Modular Architecture

Operation  PC boots, then SoftPLC loads  Scan cycle is synchronous (read inputs, scan logic, send outputs)  Deterministic scan (“hard” realtime)  Operating modes like PLC (Program, Run, Remote)  Online run-mode program changes  Troubleshooting tools like PLC (Runtime Fault detection/correction, I/O Forcing)

Operation  Multiple tasks scheduled by SoftPLC (communications, logic scan, I/O update, etc.)  Configuration options allow user to optimize performance  Number/type of communication channels & how often they are scanned  Shut-down/power loss action

Performance  Speed based on hardware selections, number of active ports & application programming Program scan times in msec

Data Table  PLC-5 Data Table Types/Addressing  Binary, integer, floating point, timers/counters, PID, strings and others  10,000 Data Table Files of 10,000 elements each *  Status File for fault analysis, system time/date, etc.  Output/input file size determined by “size” of runtime purchased * except for O, I, S files

User Logic  PLC-5 ladder logic & program structure  Up to 10,000 subroutines of 10,000 rungs each  Instruction set combines PLC-5, SLC-500, and unique SoftPLC functions  Logic documentation stored in SoftPLC

TOPDOC Loadable Modules (TLM’s)  Loadable functions  Created using SoftPLC Programmer’s Toolkit  Written in C++/Java  API of “helper functions” (similar to those on an RTOS)  TLM’s can be instructions or drivers  I/O drivers are TLM’s  SoftPLC provides a number of instruction TLM’s

Example SoftPLC Provided TLM’s  COMGENIE - ASCII instructions (up to 36 COM ports)  LOG DATA - Selected data to file .001 TIMERS - Very fast/high resolution timing

Other Example TLM’s  Computations  Fourier transforms, load balancing,...  Special “non-PLC” functions  DCS process blocks, SENDMAIL  Device interfaces  Modbus, Motion Controllers, PC I/O boards, UPS  Proprietary logic embedded in function

“Properties” Memory Area  Internal relational database  2 column, multiple tables  Ladder instructions to read and/or process data  Ideal for warehousing, sorting, recipe, RFID applications

I/O Support  Total digital I/O maximum 16K  Analog I/O above and beyond digital total  Up to 16 I/O drivers can be loaded at once  Drivers are also TLM’s  I/O forcing supported  A-B RIO driver supports block transfer

Included I/O Drivers  Tealware local & remote  Modbus TCP  A-B RIO -1771, SLC-500 (1746), Flex, Block & compatible devices  Profibus, DeviceNet, Interbus  Variety of PC I/O (ISA, PCI, PC/104 bus)  Serial & Wireless I/O (ICO-7000 Series)  Third party drivers also available

Communications  Networks for HMI/SCADA, program monitoring, PLC peer-to-peer, etc.  SoftPLC appears as PLC-5  Virtually all HMI/SCADA and many other 3rd party devices supported  Up to 32 networks per system  Ethernet  Serial (DF1 or Modbus)  Data Highway Plus or Data Highway

FTP Server  FTP = File Transfer Protocol, used for TCP/IP exchanges of files  SoftPLC has embedded FTP Server, many FTP clients are free  Example uses:  Update/backup SoftPLC configurations & files  View/retrieve SoftPLC files, documentation

SSH Server  Encrypted secure communications  All capabilities of FTP Server  Command shell access remotely  Run programs  Diagnostics

Remote File Access  SoftPLC can be a file access client to a server running on any of the following server software:  Microsoft Windows File Sharing  Samba  NFS  Novell Netware  This means SoftPLC can easily read or write production data to a remote disk

Syslog  SoftPLC uses syslog for user messages  User Messages include:  operating mode  startup status or faults  runtime faults  Syslog messages can be directed to any output  ram fifo  local file, disk or ramdisk  remote file on a windows PC running a syslogger  Helps users comply with FDA 21CFR11

Java Virtual Machine  SoftPLC has embedded deterministic JVM  Users can write Java TLM’s  eg: SQL Interface  SoftPLC can run Java applications  Java applications based in other systems can access SoftPLC realtime data  Endless possibilities for e-Automation...

Web Server Module  Add-on software module for SoftPLC  Allows browsers to access SoftPLC files and data  Applets (run in browser, but reside in SoftPLC)  Servlets (run in SoftPLC, good for remote applications, secure)

TOPDOC NexGen

TOPDOC  TOPDOC - used for offline/online development, monitoring & troubleshooting, program documentation  Written in Java  Multiple platform support (eg: Windows, Linux)  Multiple language support (eg: native Chinese, Arabic character support)

Unique TOPDOC Features  Automatically recognizes & displays TLI’s, adds them to menu  Program CLIP’s for easy reuse of logic blocks

A-B Conversions  SLiCk Convert - web based utility to convert SLC-500 applications to SoftPLC  includes Tealware I/O equivalents  PLC-2, PLC-5 conversion services from SoftPLC for $150 per program *  most convert %  SoftLogix, PLC-5/250 & PLC-3 conversion services quoted per application * may be higher if manual intervention necessary

Hardware Products SoftPLC In Tealware TM SoftPLC Processors TM Hardbook SoftPLC’s

Hardware Products  SoftPLC Corp. offers CONTROLLERS – industrial PC’s with SoftPLC runtime software pre-installed  Runtime control software alone is not a complete solution  Standard equipped PC’s are not designed for industrial control applications  Your role is to manufacture your product, not build a controller

SoftPLC In Tealware  Compact backplane mount CPU’s & wide range of I/O modules  Traditional PLC packaging  Up to 4 racks Local, 64 racks remote I/O  Use Tealware I/O w/ industrial PC’s  Hot Standby Option

CPU Modules  CPU resides in single slot on base  16MB RAM, up to 72MB Flash  (2) serial ports  128 Kwords battery-backed RAM retentive memory area  SoftPIPE TM Remote I/O interface port (optional)

Bases  4, 6, or 8 I/O module CPU bases  6 or 8 I/O module Local Expansion bases  Alternative CPU base with 4 I/O slots and a 4-5 card PC/104 Magazine  PC/104 cards can be added to use other I/O systems, motion control cards, additional serial ports, and more PBASE0 4

Local Systems  1 CPU base plus up to 3 expansion bases  Up to 1024 I/O  Max. distance 30 feet from first base to last base

SoftPIPE TM - Remote I/O System  2.5 MBaud link  Up to 15 remote drops in addition to local drop  Up to 1024 I/O per drop (x 16 = 16K I/O capacity)  Distance from CPU to last drop up to 20,000 feet  Fiber options available available winter 2005

I/O Modules  Detachable terminal block for easy module replacement w/o re-wiring  Diagnostic LED’s  Wide angle swing type connector for easy installation  Digital modules hot swappable under power

SoftPLC Processors  Node-box Industrial PC’s  486, Pentium & Celeron CPU’s  2, 4, 6, 8 slot enclosures or 19” rack mount  ISA, PCI, PC/104 bus  User selects I/O type, ports, etc.  SoftPLC does installation, hardware/software configuration & system test

Hardbook SoftPLC’s  Compact Industrial PC’s  Pentium CPU w/ dual Ethernet ports  (1) PCI slot, USB, (1) PCMCIA slot  User selects I/O type, ports, etc.  SoftPLC does installation, hardware/software configuration & system test

ICO-7000 Series I/O  High Speed Serial RS-485 I/O network  Up to 255 nodes per network, up to 921KB  Over 85 different modules available  Dual Watchdog function Mounting Options

ICO-7000 Series I/O  Wireless Option via Modems  Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum  900MHz and 2.4GHz modems  Choice of Antennae for up to 5KM

SoftPLC Redefining Automation Technology