Micro PLC offers IoT capability provided by custom web pages

New from Sys-Tek is the Idec FC6A micro PLC that, thanks to its compact and modular structure, can be readily configured to user requirements. Users can select from a choice of CPU with I/O capacities of 16, 24 or 40I/O, plus a host of expansion modules (taking I/O capacity up to a maximum of 520) and a separate HMI.

The expansion module options include 17 digital I/O modules, eight types of analogue I/O module, two temperature control modules, four analogue cartridges and two communications (Modbus) cartridges. Analogue control capabilities extend to PID with auto-tuning, flow totalisation and recipe management functions.

While the new FC6A might be small in size, it is certainly not ‘small’ as far as performance is concerned. With a maximum instruction set capacity of 640kbyte (equivalent to some 80,000 steps) the FC6A is capable of executing complex machine control programs. And with a basic instruction processing time of just 42ns, the user can be confident of a truly fast response from this Micro PLC platform for the control of highly dynamic, synchronous machine functions such as precision multi-stage positioning, involving zero return, current and absolute value management, and JOG operation.

Internet of Things (IoT) capability is provided by custom web pages that are easily configured for remote monitoring and control. The web pages are created using a simple and intuitive drag-and-drop style method that requires no specialised HTML programming knowledge, and are stored in the MicroSmart FC6A PLC HMI module. This innovative feature places the new FC6A well ahead of competing Micro PLC platforms for ease of IoT-type systems implementation.

Following a restructuring of Idec that centralised its operations in Germany, Sys-Tek is the company’s UK agent, offering sales and technical support for industrial control and factory automation products.