The Arduino PLC kit is based around an Arduino Opta WiFi:
“Built with industrial IoT capabilities, our versatile and easy-to-use micro PLC offers real-time control, monitoring, and predictive maintenance for a variety of applications,” writes Arduino. “Based on the existing Arduino Opta WiFi, it includes the STM32H747XI dual-core Arm Cortex-M7 +M4 MCU, making it exceptionally reliable and robust for your classroom.”
PLC Starter Kit
There are also digital input and output simulators, to help users replicate real-world situations. For example, the input simulator (DIN Simul8) includes 8 switches and power control, while the output simulator (DIN Celsius) features a resistor array and a temperature sensor.
Additionally there is the Arduino PLC IDE to support your programming. You can choose from one of the five programming languages defined by the IEC 61131-3 standard (Ladder, Functional Block Diagram, Structured Text, Sequential Function Chart, or Instruction List) to code a range of PLC applications. Note, too, that the PLC Starter Kit can also be programmed using the Arduino IDE 2.
Finally, there are also 20 hours of in-depth lessons in the form of an ‘Explore PLC’ course. The course has been created by educators and covers all the essential contents including the history of programmable logic controllers, Modbus RS-485 communications, and how PLCs integrate with industrial simulated systems, says Arduino.
Opta
As mentioned, the Arduino Cloud-compatible-kit is based on the Arduino Opta, which was announced at the end of 2022.
The Opta uses the STM32H747XI dual-core Cortex-M7 +M4 MCU, to perform . It also supports OTA firmware updates via onboard security and X.509 Standard compliance, and there are real-time dashboards supported via Arduino Cloud or third-party services.
Plug into the future of industrial automation with the new Arduino PLC Starter Kit. Now available! https://t.co/G8bsaTkeYS pic.twitter.com/sw9RHK2UOs
— Arduino (@arduino) April 3, 2024
You can read more about the kit on the Arduino blog. And pricing can be found here, starting from €353 – note that the Opta WiFi is not included by default.
Alun Williams
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