What is a PLC driver?

PLC communication settings in PLC vendor software that match communication protocol of automation hardware.

How do PLC and SCADA communicate?

PLC vendor's communication software like RSLinx for AB/Rockwell brand is installed on Windows computer with SCADA. Or message instructions are used within PLC program.

How do I communicate a PLC with a drive?

Use the RSLinx Classic OPC DA and DDE functions.

Why doesn't my PLC RS232 driver work with a USB adapter?

The USB driver port number in the Windows device manager must be the same as the RSLinx RS232 driver port number setting.

Why RSLinx cant see PLC?

Faulty or incorrect cable, driver type, or driver settings. In rare occasions, other software installed on your computer is conflicting with RSLinx communications.

What is the most common cause for PLC communication failure, that used to work?

Faulty cable is the most common cause by far, followed by incorrect settings in the RSLinx communication driver.

Why does the RSLinx device icon state unrecognized device?

If you are able to communicate with device anyway, your computer is missing the Electronic Data Sheet (EDS) file for that device type.

How do I remove devices no longer used from RSLinx RSWho window?

Re-install RSLinx to remove device history.

Is RSLinx currently running as a service?

Click on the up (" ^ ") icon on Win 10 task bar to see hidden icons of software running as a service in the background.

Is RSLogix 5000 compatible with windows 10?

Yes. For the most part no industrial software is compatible with Mac(Apple), only Windows. A few individuals use RSLogix/RSLinx on a Mac with VMware.

How to connect RSLogix 5000 to PLC?

Because Rockwell uses RSLinx for all their devices, how to connect to PLC (SLC) or PAC (ControlLogix) is the same.

Why run RSLinx as a service?

Seasoned professionals recommend you do NOT run RSLinx as a server for cyber security, compatibility and downtime reduction reasons.

What is RSLinx Classic? PLC Communication Software

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Included: Rockwell RSLinx software RSWho simulation to practice installing communication driver and see it connect to PLC.

Equipment Reliability Engineering Examples — Rockwell RSLinx PLC communication Software

Rockwell RSLinx Classic is the most commonly used edition of Rockwell Automation's brand of PLC communication software. The software facilitates communication between all Allen Bradley/Rockwell automation devices. That includes but is not limited to PLCs, PACs, and HMIs. The most common use of RLinx Classic is communication between your computer and the Allen Bradley devices.

The best way to give you a clear understanding of what is RSLinx classic is is to show you a couple of sections from one of the first units in our RSLogix 5000 course. Especially since one of those sections is an RSLinx Simulator. The RSLinx simulator below is a recreation of one of the many simulations included in our RSLogix 5000 course software. As we had to recreate the software simulation to work online, we went ahead and applied some gamification to it, so you will have even more fun.

Overview of RSLinx:

The RSLinx software creates a bridge between the automation editing software like RSLogix 5000, and the automation device, like a PLC or HMI unit. RSLinx Classic can be accessed through the RSLogix 5000 software menu by clicking on the RSWho icon or opening directly from the windows task manager. The basic function of establishing a connection with a new device requires the user to install the appropriate communication driver type in the RSLinx software. If the needed driver has already been installed in RSLinx, then often some modification of that installed driver is necessary to establish communication with the new device.

Below is a short overview video created from the first section of the course unit. It may be useful to those who are new to Rockwell automation software. Then well end this article with the new RSLinx simulator game teaching how to add a new driver in RSLinx. You may notice in these examples we are using RSLinx Professional Edition, but the edition is not important at this point. As the functions in RSLinx Classic Edition, are the same in all other editions. The difference between software editions is that the other editions like Professional, OEM, etc. have extra and enhanced features in addition to the standard features found in RSLinx Classic.

RSLinx Classic Overview

RSLinx Simulator: Install Driver, RSLinx connects to PLC.

The RSLinx simulator below, like the associated simulation in our RSLogix 5000 course, walks the user through installing a driver in RSLinx. It also has a built-in RSLinx emulator so you can see what it is like when RSLinx connects to PLC. This is done while in the default 'Learn' mode. When the user finishes the walk-through of the driver installation process, they will switch the simulator to 'Practice/Test 'mode. The test feature with points being earned and scored at the end; is an added feature we created just for this online replica to make it a fun game. In our RSLogix 5000 course software, the many simulations only have the walk-through [Learn mode].

RSLinx FAQ:

What is RSLinx?: Software that facilitates communication between all Allen Bradley/Rockwell automation devices.
What is RSLinx Classic?: Rockwell RSLinx Classic Lite is the most commonly used edition of Rockwell Automation's brand of PLC communication software.
What is a PLC driver?: PLC communication settings in PLC vendor software that match communication protocol of automation hardware.
How do PLC and SCADA communicate?: PLC vendor's communication software like RSLinx for AB/Rockwell brand is installed on Windows computer with SCADA. Or message instructions are used within PLC program.
How do I communicate a PLC with a drive?: Use the RSLinx Classic OPC DA and DDE functions.
Why doesn't my PLC RS232 driver work with a USB adapter?: The USB driver port number in the Windows device manager must be the same as the RSLinx RS232 driver port number setting.
Why RSLinx cant see PLC?: Faulty or incorrect cable, driver type, or driver settings. In rare occasions, other software installed on your computer is conflicting with RSLinx communications.
What is the most common cause for PLC communication failure, that used to work?: Faulty cable is the most common cause by far, followed by incorrect settings in the RSLinx communication driver.
Why does the RSLinx device icon state unrecognized device?: If you are able to communicate with device anyway, your computer is missing the Electronic Data Sheet (EDS) file for that device type.
How do I remove devices no longer used from RSLinx RSWho window?: Re-install RSLinx to remove device history.
Is RSLinx currently running as a service?: Click on the up (" ^ ") icon on Win 10 task bar to see hidden icons of software running as a service in the background.
Is RSLogix 5000 compatible with windows 10?: Yes. For the most part no industrial software is compatible with Mac(Apple), only Windows. A few individuals use RSLogix/RSLinx on a Mac with VMware.
How to connect RSLogix 5000 to PLC?: Because Rockwell uses RSLinx for all their devices, how to connect to PLC (SLC) or PAC (ControlLogix) is the same.
Why run RSLinx as a service?: Seasoned professionals recommend you do NOT run RSLinx as a server for cyber security, compatibility and downtime reduction reasons.

You can learn more about RSLinx in our RSLogix 5000 certificate course software, including the various communication protocols.