Design News for Mechanical and Design Engineers

Nuremberg, Germany--Simplicity and size reduction need not mean less capability in logic controllers, and may even mean more. Take Siemens Industrial Automation Systems new LOGO! controller and switching series. These compact, 72 or 126 x 90 x 55-mm, devices can operate in a stand- alone mode or as slave stations under higher level controllers in an AS-i(TM) bus system. The basic version accommodates six inputs with four outputs (the longer variants double these), and allows 14 integrated functions ranging from simple "and"/"or" to clock-pulse generators, retentive ON delay, and counters. Longer and bus versions also feature an operating hours counter, impulse relay/pulse output, and trigger functions. Other LOGO! modules serve as dedicated power supplies or humfree switches.

A front interface allows connecting either a PC cable or plug-in program modules that copy programs for use in other LOGO! applications. One such module retains counter contents and switch states if power fails, and another also prevents unauthorized displays, changes, or copying.

LOGO!Soft, an optional programming software package running under Windows 95, is available for convenient PC-based programming, test and simulation, revisions, archiving, and printing of control programs independent of the LOGO! controllers. In addition, Siemens has compiled a library of LOGO!Soft applications programs available on disk or from their website: www.aut.siemens.de/logo. A user simply the program desired, adapts it for their application, and transfers it to LOGO! via PC cable. Program updates are also available at the site.