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theripley

SDK

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Hi. A new client have a requirement for an automated system, which involves plc programming & computer programming (for automatic inventory system). They wanted us to do the plc programming (easy for us), and they hired a separate team for the computer programming. The computer programming team requires us to do an sdk so they can link our program to their inventory system. I have never tried it before, but I am sure someone in here knows a lot about it. Please enlighten me about this sdk-making-scenario. Thank you.

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SDK is a software development kit, and it's a library of ready-made functions for a computer programming language (VB.net, C++, etc.) to interface with a specific piece of software or hardware. There is a Mitsubishi protocol manual that you can use to build your own library, but that would take a lot of engineering time. What you are need for is MX Components from Mitsubishi.

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This MX components is the library for the sdk this client is requiring? I just have to buy it & give it to the computer programming team. Is that all?

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Correct regarding the MX Components. That's easier and most likely cheaper than spending a lot of hours on creating or implementing a software developed protocol. As an alternative, you could use a ModbusTCP card in the PLC, and specify that to the computer developers. There's a lot of ModbusTCP computer implementations on the internet, and a ModbusTCP card is pretty easliy configured on the PLC side.

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kaare_t, He did not say which Mitsubishi PLC. They don't have ModbusTCP for all of them. And in the case of the Q Series, that card is far more expensive than MX Component.

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I have read that MX components supports vba, visual basic & c++. Does it support .net applications as well?

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Have anyone heard of AdvancedHMI? Have you used it to interface with Mitsubishi PLC?

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Yes MX Components supports VB.net. Yes, I have heard of AdvancedHMI. I haven't used it, but they do not have a Mitsubishi communications driver. You could use it with a Mitsubishi processor, but only with a protocol conversion gateway of some sort, which would be cumbersome.

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Thanks JRoss. Btw, how long have you been using Mitsubishi PLC? Is it your personal preference?

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I've been programming Mitsubishi PLCs for over 11 years. In general I find preference has more to do with familiarity than anything. That said, I like the Allen-Bradley RSLogix5000 programming environment to be about the easiest to use of the various packages I have any kind of experience with. But Mitsubishi is a solid choice. They are competitively priced, reliable, and the programming package does it's job with a minimum of headaches.

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