Introduction
How are Industrial Shields PLCs programmed? Which is the ideal IDE?
How does Industrial Shields boards work? How can I install them?
Is there any PLC with WiFi communication?
How can I use the TCP/IP protocol with Industrial Shields products?
Where can I find help to start programming I/Os and communication protocols?
Which are the electrical consumptions of Industrial Shields PLCs?
Industrial Shields PLCs work at 12-24V. What does it mean?
What are the benefits of industrial automation?
How are Industrial Shields PLC programmed? Which is the ideal IDE?
Industrial Shields PLCs can be programmed using any type of environment, as the microcontrollers that operate do not require any license. Despite all, there are a few environments that help the user with intuitive interfaces or automatic jobs. The list is extense, but here are a couple of popular ones.
- Arduino IDE: This intuitive program environment is very user-friendly, and can be used to program Arduino based PLCs and ESP32 based PLCs.
- Platform IO: Platform IO is widely used thanks to its integration with Visual Studio Code, the text editor of Microsoft. It is an alternative for Arduino IDE, so it can be used for both Arduino and ESP32 based PLCs.
There is not a "better-to-use" IDE, as in addition to the already seen environments, the user can program the PLC using ESPHome, OpenPLC, microPython, C, C++, assembly... and the flexibility when it comes to ways to program is one of the main features if Industrial Shields.
How does the Industrial Shields board work? How can I install them?
Industrial Shields boards define user-level pinout and communication ports, making the interaction between Arduino, ESP32 and based PLCs and the user much more simple. In addition, they also set some compilation flags to ensure the configuration of the microcontroller is right.
Is there any PLC with WiFi communication?
Yes. Enter the following link to discover the family of PLCs with built-in WiFi & Bluetooth Low Energy modules!
How can I use the TCP/IP protocol with your products?
To use the TCP/IP protocol within Industrial Shields PLCs, the user can use the external Ethernet port that almost all PLCs have, excluding Ardbox Analog and Relay PLCs. As the Raspberry PI PLC has 2 different Ethernet ports, up to 2 TCP/IP connection can be used simultaneously.
Where can I find help to start programming I/Os and communication protocols?
Industrial Shields has plenty of useful blog posts covering almost all possibilities a user can think of when working with an Industrial Shields PLC, from tutorial guides explaining in depths the limits of all PLCs, to complex posts covering the communication ports such as Modbus RTU / TCP systems, LoRa networks and more.
Which are the electrical consumptions of the Industrial Shields PLCs?
The drawn power of any Industrial Shields PLC depends on the model and usage of it, as the PLCs will have a major consumption when using all the features the PLC offers. You can check the approximate values for a normal usage in the PLC's User Guide.
Industrial Shields PLCs work at 12-24V. What does it mean?
All Industrial Shields PLCs must be powered with a tension between 12V and 24V. This means that connecting a voltage lower than 12V will not be sufficient to power all the features the PLC offers and it will not work as intended. Voltages greater than 24V may damage the intern circuitry of the PLC and can lead to malfunction. Consider revising the power supply characteristics before powering an Industrial Shields PLC, or ask for advice before attempting so.Â
Despite the power supply threshold, the digital outputs can be powered between 5V and 24V so its pins provide such tension when in HIGH state. This makes possible for PLC with multiple layers to have different voltage in different zones for a more flexible solution. Remember that all digital outputs from a single zone of the PLC can provide up to 1A, divided between all connected outputs.
What are the benefits of industrial automation?
- Cost reduction: The automated data analysis reduces the risk of machine failures and service interruptions.
- Productivity increment: The production can work 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Quality enhancement: It deletes human error and improves the quality and homogeneity of the products offered. Therefore, automated production processes have a longer duration, stability and solidity when managed with an automation system.
- Industrial Safety: It is always safer to use industrial automation in specific working conditions, where the damage caused to people can be much more serious.
- Accurate Results: The accuracy improves when the automation of data collection takes place.
- Better working conditions and value-addition: The conditions for employees working where an industrial system has been implanted, spend their time on high value-added tasks.
- Industrial Communication: Industrial automation allows the company to collect, at all times, all the information provided by the machines or devices from the place where they are located. Therefore, the equipment monitoring and production traceability are much more controlled.
Is Arduino / Raspberry better than generic PLCs?
It always depends on the purpose. As the PLCs are prepared for industrial environments because of their safety and quality, among others, the PLCs are always recommended for industrial applications, since the intention is to guarantee data integrity and greater reliability. Whilst Arduino and Raspberry Pi boards can be very useful for small/ medium projects link testing industrial applications, which will later be implemented with PLCs.
At Industrial Shields, we bet for Open Source technology, offering flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and the freedom for users to fully customize and control their solutions without being tied to proprietary systems or recurring licenses. This empowers users to build tailored systems that perfectly align with their specific requirements.
Useful posts / guides
Next you will find useful links and blog posts that can be useful for your project.
M-Duino PLC useful links
Modbus RTU
Modbus TCP
RS-232 / RS-485
LoRa
GPRS
Using the GPRS module with the M-Duino PLC
Ardbox Analog / Relay PLC useful links
Modbus RTU
Modbus RTU with the Ardbox PLC
RS-232 / RS-485
LoRa
GPRS
ESP32 PLC useful links
Modbus RTU
Modbus TCP
RS-232 / RS-485
Basics about the RS-485 protocol
LoRa
LoRaWAN tutorial for ESP32 PLC
GPRS
Introduction to the GPRS module
ESP32 14 PLC useful links
Modbus RTU
Modbus TCP
RS-485
Basics about the RS-485 protocol
LoRa
Industrial Shields LoRa library for ESP32 based PLCs
GPRS
Raspberry PLC useful links
Modbus RTU and TCP/IP
Modbus RTU and TCP/IP tutorials
RS-485
Using the RS-485 ports with the Raspberry PLC
LoRa
Introduction to LoRaWAN and Raspberry PLC
GPRS
Touchberry Panel useful links
Modbus RTUÂ
How to use Modbus RTU with the Touchberry PanelÂ
Modbus TCP/IP
Using Modbus TCP with a Raspberry based PLC
RS-485
Learn how to use the RS-485 port with the Touchberry Panel
LoRa
LoRaWAN usage on Touchberry Panel
GPRS
FAQ Simple Questions