Rachael

New to industry - PLC vs PAC?

18 posts in this topic

I'm new to the industry, and am having a difficult time understanding the difference between a PLC and a PAC. Can someone please help explain the difference? Thanks very much!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
See link below. http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showpost.php?...amp;postcount=4

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Thanks for your reply...PACs being "higher end" is all that I gathered prior to posting, and was wondering if that was all there was to it. Thanks again!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Thats it, kind of like adding a gram of sugar to a box of Wheaties and calling it "New and Improved" "Wheaties Gold" Edited by Mickey

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Shame on you this is the age of Healthiness Wheaties Gold would ahve a gram less sugar not a gram more!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Then it would be called "Wheaties Lite"

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
So...what you're trying to say is: PLCs are "Wheaties" PACs are "Wheaties Gold" and in this economy, we should have PLC lites - Thanks Mickey and BobLFoot Edited by Rachael

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
No Problem Rachael and looking at your post count I believe a Welcome Aboard MRPLC is in order.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
There is more or less a "basic" PLC design out there that has served the industry well for years. Recently a number of new features (truly symbolic tags, integrated drive controls, monstrous memories, Pentium-like processor speeds, improved support for subroutines/modular programming and task schedulers) have been introduced. To distinguish themselves from the older generation of PLC's, the new marketing term "PAC" came about. I could be wrong but I believe that GE Fanuc originated it and then everyone else started using it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Aren't PLC Lites called LED's?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
PLC or PAC? Darned if I can tell the difference these days. Shoebox PLCs with 64 bit floating point for example. And it is only called a PLC, or to confuse the issue even more Omron have started calling them PC (programmable Controller).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Here is you a new side by side comparison of PLC vs PAC so you can easily see with the graphical representation. Also explains the importance of distinguished between the two (PLC PAC) when it comes to training. See article at http://bin95.com/PLC-PAC-Difference.htm Hope this sheds a little light.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
PLC stands for Programmable Logic Controller - bascially a computer dedicated to controlling a machine or process, it uses an operating system solely interested in acting upon real world inputs to control real world outputs. PAC stands for Political Action Committe - bascially an organization dedicated to controlling politicians (and thus laws), regardless of real world influence. The other meaning for PAC is just a marketing differentiation for PLCs with higher functionality.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Yea right ianbuckley, just like like "Smart Phone" is just a marketing differentiation for a "cordless Flip Phone" with higher functionality. ... just like like "SCADA" is just a marketing differentiation for a "HMI" with higher functionality, which is marketing differentiation for a "Operator Control Station" with higher functionality ... just like like "CNC" is just a marketing differentiation for a "Milling Machine" with higher functionality, which is marketing differentiation for a "Lathe" with higher functionality ... just like like "Space Shuttle" is just a marketing differentiation for a "Airplane" with higher functionality. ... just like like "Entertainment system" is just a marketing differentiation for a "Radio" with higher functionality. But seriously, once the technology evolves so much, combines so many other technology; when it comes to training and describing to others via a name or acronym, it is not only "marketing" who needs to differentiated ... it is everyone who needs to differential between the two. A bizarre example: We had customer exclaiming our training software download would not install on his computer. Come to find out, it was a touch pad he had and didn't know any better than to refer to it as a computer. Wasted his time and ours. Page two of the PAC PLC difference article shows enough differences to warrant reference as a "PAC" for training purposes. Edited by BIN95

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
You can defend your acronyms as ardently as you would like, but not all companies are using the same acronyms. Try reading the rest of the thread. The fact remains that a Programmable Automation Controller serves the same function in a very similar manner as a high end Programmable Logic Controller. Much the same way that a smart phone serves the same function as a high end cellular phone. Maybe you know people that go around saying "I can't find my smart phone", or "Where is my flip-phone?" but most of the people I know say "Have you seen my cell?". We are an absent-minded lot, though none of us are stupid...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
"The term PAC was first defined by ARC Advisory Group in 2001". - See more at: http://bin95.com/PLC-PAC-Difference.htm They where not trying to market any particular Automation vendor's equipment in doing so. ISA.org – What is a Programmable Automation Controller (PAC)? http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=82268 "... to ignore the industry’s vendors, organizations, and trade magazines themselves, is like refusing to acknowledge while SCADA has an HMI element to it, a HMI is not a full blown SCADA system." - Quote from http://bin95.com/What-is-a-PLC-PAC-Difference.htm

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
See @Control_Design 2015 Readers’ Choice Awards: PAC 1. Rockwell 2. Siemens 3. Schneider Electric 4. GE Intelligent http://www.controldesign.com/articles/2015/2015-readers-choice-awards/

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!


Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.


Sign In Now