ProductivitySuite Software Features

Store your entire project with ALL documentation in the CPU, and never hunt for that old laptop again. You know, the only one that has the updated code from last summer when you made all those changes.

Sure, we recommend that you make a back-up, but who hasn't been burned by this classic PLC problem?

Now you can download the free software to any available PC, grab the project (with documentation) from the Productivity CPU and you can quickly be productive with any required changes, updates, or troubleshooting.

Have you ever felt unproductive while configuring stop bits, parity, or baud rates in order to connect to a programmable controller? Most Productivity CPUs use USB programming for true plug-and-play functionality. Plug in your USB cable and move on to the productive activities like configuration and programming.

You can program across Ethernet as well, but we wanted Productivity2000 to have a fast reliable way to get started. When combined with auto-discovery of I/O modules, the USB plug-and-play capability helps you be productive right away.

Take a look at our video "Program-ready in minutes".

Hardware setup has never been easier... or faster! Simply install each I/O module in the local or remote base(s) and it will be automatically discovered by the software. Physical I/O tags will be generated based on the module's position in the base (and the base's position in the system) and that's it! You are free to program with the auto-configured settings or reconfigure the setup and assign new tags manually.

Don't waste time laboriously entering I/O module part numbers into the system! Just install the modules in your rack(s), connect the programming cable, and the Productivity Suite software will automatically sense which modules you have installed, and configure your programming environment accordingly whenever a configuration update is requested.   I/O tagnames are also automatically assigned.

Productivity PLCs even auto-discover VFDs
(click here for more details)

Connecting your Productivity series PLC to Variable Frequency Drives couldn't be easier! Connect our GS1, GS2, Durapulse (GS3/GS4) drives via Ethernet (using our GS-EDRV modules, when needed), and the Productivity PLC can automatically detect the drives when a configuration update is requested. The auto-discovery process eliminates the configuration headaches - your drives are ready to program in just a few minutes (not available with the Productivity1000).

After the auto-discovery process, the dedicated instructions "GS Drives Read" and "GS Drives Write" will prompt the programmer with all the available parameters (both "run mode" and "stop mode") that can be configured for each model of drive - it's then a cinch to fill in the blanks and program your drives.

The Productivity Suite software also discovers all the I/O modules in your system ( click here for more details)

The Structure Data Types speed the creation of tag data AND enforce tagname consistency throughout your project, making searches faster and troubleshooting easier.

Simply check the "Use Structure" box and enter the name for your structure. The Productivity Suite software does the rest, creating all the tags required for that instruction.

You can browse the actual help files here. These are the same detailed help files available from within the software, with full details about each instruction and all aspects of the software environment.

While we strive to produce the best possible help file in the industry, we also know that improvement is always possible. If you have any ideas for improvements, please let our documentation team know. There is a Feedback button located in the top-right corner of every help page. When selected, the Feedback feature allows you to send us feedback or comments about the Help File, and lets our documentation team know exactly which page you were visiting. This is a quick and easy way to send us feedback, suggestions, or to notify us of other issues with the Help File.

The Productivity Suite programming software supports both USB programming and Ethernet Programming. The PLC Connections dialog box (shown below) allows you to connect to any PLC on your network for programming or data monitoring operations. The PLC Connections dialog even dispays PLCs that are on other subnets, and will allow you to change the IP address and name of those PLCs so that you can connect to and program those as well. The "Blink CPU Display" buttons are a great way to make sure you are connected to the intended PLC, before risking a program transfer.

The Productivity CPUs fast processor and programming environment free you from many arbitrary and fixed limits that many other PLC/PACs impose. With no practical limit on the number of PID loops, timer or counter commands, programmers are able to take full advantage of the power of your Productivity Series controller.

• No limits on PID loops*
• No limits on Counters*
• No limits on Timers*

*Limited only by the available memory in the PLC.

So you can be productive, not limited by your PLC software.

Reference your variables and I/O points with sensible names (tagnames) and make your program easier to understand. Add descriptive names as you program or enter all the tags before you even write one line of code.

Data memory ranges in the Productivity Suite are not fixed by data type. This efficiency allows you the freedom to define tagnames of any data type you need instead of having arbitrary blocks of wasted memory for data types you don't need.

While the Productivity Suite offers you the option to assign a logical name to your physical I/O points automatically when a module is selected (or auto-discovered), you can replace or augment these numerical rack, module, and point references with your own descriptive names at any time.

Have you ever had to write custom ladder logic to get a section of code to only execute periodically and not every scan? Or what about ladder code that only needs to run on the first scan?

With the Productivity Suite Task Manager you simply break up your ladder logic into separate tasks and then drag them into the appropriate categories. In the diagram below the task (or ladder logic routine) Setup and Initialization has been placed in the "Run First Scan Only" category, and will only execute once at start-up.

Combined with the ability to make run-time edits, the Task Manager is a powerful coding and debugging tool. Keep a task in the "disabled" category while you are developing it, and then drag it into the "Run Every Scan" to test it. Place data collection and other periodic tasks in the "Run Every Second" category and improve the scan time of your main routine.

Give it a try - we think you'll agree - the Task Manager offers true productivity enhancement.

Mouse over the Task Management window tasks below:

Commissioning or troubleshooting a system can be less time-consuming if you can make program edits on the fly. Download edits to the CPU without pausing I/O updates or stopping/restarting the program. From melting rubber to making paper, you can keep your process running, avoiding downtime and product waste.

The Productivity Suite makes mathematical operations a cinch. Simply type your formula into the formula box area, or use the calculator style keypad to enter equations. Insert tagnames wherever they are needed, and make sure to enter a tagname for the result. You can type the tagnames or use the tagname chooser to look up a specific tag and insert it. How much more productive could this make you?

Need to secure your Productivity PLC? Enable the two security options, and create the desired user accounts. You can allow users to read the project and monitor data only, and/or allow them to transfer projects into the PLC (make changes). Manage the user accounts independently, or quickly turn the security levels on and off globally for all users.

In this non-linear scaling example, the volume of the cylindrical tank needs to be determined based on the measured height of the fluid:

With the SCLN instruction it's a simple matter to enter a few pairs of values, and the Productivity Suite interpolates between the points:

Of course with this particular example additional pairs of values could be used to improve the accuracy of the conversion.

Export your tagname database from the Productivity CPU and import it into your C-more HMI Panel or to jumpstart your HMI development. No more digging through your notes, or hunting through your ladder logic to find the right tagname.

Connect up to 16 C-more HMIs to the Productivity CPU via Ethernet for control and visibility of your process/machine from anywhere in your factory. Use the remote access feature of C-more to view (and possibly control) your system from anywhere via the Internet. C-more offers a wealth of productive features that make it a perfect match for the Productivity PLC. More about C-more here.

That's right, we offer the Productivity Suite rogramming Software as a free download. It's the full package - no restrictions - no limitations. That's a $495 value - Free! Download it here, or continue exploring it online here.

We want you to see how the Productivity Suite can enhance your productivity. So go ahead, download the software and take a look. From the auto-discovery of your I/O modules and VFDs to the Application Specific instructions, we've put our 20 years of programmable controller software experience and all of your great customer suggestions and feedback into the Productivity Suite. Give it a try, and let us know what you think.

Tag I/O Reassignment allows a user to create tags, at will, without knowing what I/O modules are (or will be) installed in the system. Users can create tags, then later reassign these tags to I/O points at any time (assuming that the modules have been configured in the Hardware Configuration). Tags can be reassigned in the tag database OR in the module configuration window.