Opto 22’s IO4AB Learning Center was developed as a complement to the company’s SNAP I/O(tm) for Allen-Bradley Logix-based systems, winner of Control Engineering magazine’s Engineers’ Choice Award for 2008. The Learning Center includes a SNAP I/O communications processor-called a “brain”-assorted analog and digital modules, an I/O mounting rack, and Opto 22’s EtherNet/IP(tm) Configurator software, which is used for configuring I/O points and establishing and defining communication with an Allen-Bradley ControlLogix‚® or CompactLogix‚® PLC. Also included are a load panel for simulating real-world industrial control, monitoring, and data acquisition applications, and a self-paced, four-lesson tutorial.

Using this comprehensive set of tools, users can configure SNAP I/O to work with their RSLogix‚® systems, including establishing a communications link between Opto 22 intelligent distributed I/O and RSLogix software, and discover first-hand how quickly and easily this is accomplished. Learning Center users can then perform both basic and advanced I/O functions, such as counting and pulsing via digital input and output modules, reading scaled analog inputs and writing clamp values via analog outputs, and even configuring and running a distributed PID loop. Significantly, these and many other functions are executed independently, at the I/O level-hence the term “intelligent distributed I/O”-all without any programming. This approach effectively frees the Logix controller from these time-critical, processor-intensive tasks and improves control system performance for applications involving process control, data acquisition, and machine control. More information about the positive impact that distributed, intelligent capabilities can have on these types of applications can be found in the two new white papers, “Expanding Allen-Bradley PLC Systems with Intelligent Remote I/O” and “Adding Process Control to a PLC-Based System,” available for free download from Opto 22’s IO4AB-specific URL, http://www.io4ab.com.

The SNAP IO4AB Learning Center represents the same tools used in Opto 22’s Intelligent Remote I/O for Allen-Bradley Logix Systems Seminars http://www.opto22.com/ad/io4ab_seminar.aspx held throughout the U. S. beginning last Fall and continuing into 2009.

The SNAP IO4AB Learning Center is available now, at a cost of $1295 USD, and can be purchased directly through the Opto 22 website (www.opto22.com) or through a global network of authorized Opto 22 distributors.