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users can realize the best of both worlds and elimi- nate or significantly minimize these risks (Figure 2). Many conventional PLC form factors are al- ready modular with I/O and other modules con- necting to a processor. One supplier realized they could industrialize an Arduino controller and con- figure it to take the place of, or supplement, a tra- ditional PLC controller. To do this, they redesigned a MKRZero microcontroller from the ground up with industrialized parts and assembly methods, and packaged it in a protected form factor com- patible with their industrial I/O modules (Figure 3). The result is an industrialized open source con- troller that connects with a full suite of field-prov-
Figure 3: Unlike consumer-grade controllers, industrialized controllers like the AutomationDirect ProductivityOpen shown here, are tested in extreme conditions to ensure reliability in the field.
en industrial power supplies and I/O modules, so a configuration can be created for use in almost any conceivable general automation application. The manufacturer also makes available both industri- ally-hardened shields and 3rd party commercial Arduino MKR shields for increased functionality.
Developers use a software interface maintain- ing Arduino sketch to program in C++. For enhanced usability, the supplier also created ProductivityBlocks, a drag and drop graphical programming interface (Figure 4) which simplifies the most common pro- gramming tasks. From ProductivityBlocks users can
use block programming as-is or add blocks of C++ code to access more advanced programming features.
Unexpected Benefits
Figure 3: The addition of AutomationDirect ProductivityBlocks graphi- cal programming software gives end users another accessible way to incorporate open source Arduino microcontroller functionality into their industrial projects.
End users choosing open source for their auto- mation project will certainly benefit from the mashup of contemporary programming options with prov- en industrial practicalities. There are many ways us- ers can mix-and-match to get just what they need.
Sometimes it will make sense to continue using a PLC-based system, while adding an industrialized open controller networked nearby to perform special- ized tasks or calculations. In some cases, users com- fortable with the Arduino environment can develop all of the control logic and general-purpose calculations in the open controller, and then automate associated equipment with proven I/O to create a reliable solution.
Another consideration involves design and maintenance personnel skill sets. While existing in- dustrial users have effectively been trained on PLCs through their careers, the next generation of users are more likely to be comfortable with contemporary technologies and programming languages associ- ated with Arduinos and other maker hardware. Be- cause this platform is a way to bridge open controllers with traditional PLCs and I/O, industrial manufactur-
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