Applications/Customers : SoftPLC

Example SoftPLC Applications

SoftPLC PAC's (Programmable Automation Controllers) have been used in thousands of applications worldwide. More and more companies are discovering the tremendous advantages of SoftPLC over proprietary PLC/PAC controllers, as well as over PC-based control systems that rely on problematic Windows operating systems. SoftPLC's approach to embedded open architecture control has enabled it to be installed in harsh conditions for even the most challenging applications including those requiring speed, lots of communications, and 24/7/365 reliability.

In the tabs below are just a small sample of the variety of applications using SoftPLC PAC's, categorized by industry.

Energy
Transportation
Food & Beverage/Pharma
Materials/Handling
Water/Wastewater
Wood
Petrochem/Oil & Gas
Textiles
Bldg Automation/Security
Other

Sampling of Applications in Power Generation and Distribution Industries

Machine/ Process	Customer	1^st System	Hardware
Coal Generation-Bottom Ash Material Handling	Detroit Edison	1774 PLC Migration	STD Bus Computer, Hardbook SoftPLC A-B 1778 & 1771 I/O
	Customer had (2) obsolete Allen-Bradley 1774 PLC systems that they wanted to update and expand. Using SoftPLC's PLC-2/PLC conversion utility, the original ladder logic was converted to run in SoftPLC in under 1 minute (no changes were needed). Using an A-B Remote I/O interface card, the existing 1778 I/O was used. Additionally, approx. 100 new rungs were added to each program for new racks of 1771 I/O. An HMI application was added to the system as well. The entire conversion and addition was up and running in under 2 weeks. The customer originally implemented the systems in March of 1994 using Pro-Log STD bus computers. As part of the plant's Y2K upgrade process, the Pro-Log systems were replaced with Hardbook SoftPLCs.
Hydroelectric Power Generation	US Army Corps of Engineers/US Bureau of Reclamation	Replacement for DCS	Hardbook SoftPLC 3rd Party I/O
	Multiple applications including turbine controls for hydroelectric power generation, fish ladder controls, pump plant, and more.
Ethanol Plants	Various/ Mitre Engenharia Ltda	New	Hardbook SoftPLC Siemens Profbus I/O
	Three SoftPLC's control each entire plant, including the steam generator, diffuser and pre-evaporator, water treatment, and fermentation and distillation equipment. Each SoftPLC is a Profibus Master which controls its own distributed network of slave I/O drops. Siemens Profibus I/O is used in addition to selected I/O from other manufacturers. A custom Java-based SCADA application is used to communicate with SoftPLC controllers over ethernet using SoftPLC's embedded Java interface. SoftPLC's virtually limitless user memory, versatile PID control and floating point calculations coupled with the extremely fast response times allowed for superb plant performance.
Natural Gas Supply System	China Petroleum Corp	New	Redundant SoftPLC Tealware I/O
	Integrated system with remote monitoring capability for Natural Gas Supply systems in multiple locations throughout a County. The system includes 12 Hot Standby SoftPLC systems for gas station controls. The entire system is integrated by an optical networking and telecommunication back up system. SoftPLC was selected due to the capability of a low-cost redundant system, remote maintenance capabilities (via the web server and built-in ethernet), and similar programming to A-B (the customer's previous PLC of choice).
Annunciators	US Army Corps of Engineers	Replace old system	Hardbook SoftPLC ModbusTCP Opto SNAP I/O
	These systems were installed to modernize the large hydroelectric plants' annunciation systems. The operators needed a flexible and expandable system which allowed for easy insertion of new points and smart grouping of alarm points by function. USACE selected a SoftPLC controller with an embedded web server to drive SoftPanel Annunciator software from ACSI. One of these applications has over 100,000 rungs of ladder logic, running in less than 27msec on a 266MHz CPU.
Remote Operated Vehicles	ROV.NET, various end-users	New	PC/104 & VME PC's running SoftPLC PC/104 & VME I/O
	Control of unmanned submarines. Click here for a detailed description of this application.
Data Concentrator/Protocol Converter	Undisclosed	New	Hardbook SoftPLC Enron Modbus, DH+
	Natural gas facility: Almost all natural gas plants use an extension of Modbus called Enron Modbus which uses several data types not found in the standard Modbus protocol. The customer had existing A-B PLC-5 controllers and was adding 4 new gas chromatographs, which needed to send data to the PLC-5's. Because the PLC-5 could not communicate on Enron Modbus, a protocol converter was needed. SoftPLC's tremendous data table capability, coupled with its ability to easily communicate with A-B PLC's, made it a natural choice for this application. The existing ModbusTCP driver from SoftPLC was readily modified to create an Enron ModbusTCP driver.

Sampling of Applications in the Automotive, Aviation, Marine and other Transportation-Related Industries

Machine/ Process	Customer	1^st System	Hardware
Test Stand	Detroit Diesel	PLC-2 Migration	STD Bus Computer, Hardbook SoftPLC A-B 1771 I/O
	The customer converted a PLC-2/30 system, leaving the existing A-B 1771 I/O in place. The original 8K of PLC-2 ladder logic was converted to run in SoftPLC in under 1 minute, with no changes necessary. The customer selected a Pro-Log STD bus computer for this application as it was the only PC based A-B Remote I/O interface available at the time. Later upgraded A-B PLC-2 and PLC-5 systems used SoftPLC Hardbooks with a 1784-KTX card for the A-B I/O interface.
Engine Assembly Lines	Detroit Diesel	New	STD Bus Computer Interbus I/O
	After previously proving the SoftPLC technology on test stands, the customer implemented 2 entirely new engine assembly lines each utilizing a number of SoftPLC's with Interbus I/O. Based on previous experience and wanting multiple CPU's in a single backplane, the customer selected Pro-Log STD bus computers for these applications. Later systems used SoftPLC Hardbooks because there was no need for multiple CPU's. The multiple CPU systems used (1) CPU for the SoftPLC, (1) for a custom interface to AFS Nut Runners, and (1) for TCP/IP communications using a custom protocol to a DEC Alpha system managed by EDS, as well as a Line Controller/Operator Interface system. The savings over a traditional PLC system due to the need for the custom protocols, as well as using Interbus versus traditional PLC I/O was over $5M USD.
Parking Space Availability System	Taipei City Government	New	Tealware SoftPLC Tealware I/O
	Parking lot information system monitors open parking spaces in all the city public parking facilities. Availability of space is displayed on a moving sign located at important road intersections. The information is also updated at the City's web server, and a driver can check the parking lot information with his mobile phone. A java based interface between the SoftPLC at each parking lot and the City's master Oracle Database provides the information for the web site. SoftPLC was chosen because of its capability to connect many sensors and drive moving signs from a wide variety of suppliers. The programming from the data base side is uniform regardless of the specific sensors or signs used.
Wheel Alignment Machines	Durr Somac	Replaced proprietary PC design	PC Workstation w/ CoProcessor Interbus I/O
	(End users are automotive manufacturers throughout the world) The original design was a custom PASCAL program for control and operator interface. The end users wanted the control in ladder logic for maintainability. Due to space limitations and difficulty to integrate with the custom PASCAL HMI, SoftPLC provided a perfect solution. A single board coprocessor system runs SoftPLC, with an Interbus I/O interface mounted to it. Communications from SoftPLC to the custom HMI are done over the industrial workstation motherboard backplane.
Fluid Fill Machines	BMW/ Frigo-France	Replaced PLC + PC design	Hardbook SoftPLC Interbus I/O
	The original design was a Modicon PLC with a PC running a Basic program that did the fluid level and seal testing. The new design was a Hardbook SoftPLC with Interbus I/O. The Basic program was re-written to C language, and implemented as a custom loadable module in SoftPLC (TLM), thus eliminating a 2nd "box" and a communications problem. The first system installed in Feb, 1994.
Fluid-Fill & Brake Test Machines	Rover Cars Ltd/ A'Gramkow	New	Hardbook SoftPLC Interbus I/O
	A new machine design required 28 serial ports to support a number of bar code reader inputs along the assembly line. A SoftPLC Processor with 32 serial ports, and an Interbus I/O interface card was utilized to fill and test all the fluids in the final assembly area. COMGENIE was utilized to process the bar code inputs. A PLC with this number of serial ports would have been prohibitively expensive.

Sampling of Applications in the Food/Beverage, Pharmaceutical and Consumer Products Industries

Machine/ Process	Customer	1^st System	Hardware
Beer Bottling	Polar Cerveciana	PLC-3 & PLC-5 Migration	Hardbook SoftPLC A-B 1771 I/O
	The existing system (which unpacks, washes, fills and repacks beer bottles at 1600/minute) consisted of a PLC-3 and (2) PLC-5/15's. The system integrator imported the PLC-5 programs, added this to the converted PLC-3 program, and made adjustments for the combined logic and I/O, to create a single SoftPLC ladder program. The resulting system was implemented in a SoftPLC Processor scanning the existing 16 full racks of A-B 1771 I/O. The scan time, on a 486 CPU, was under 13 msec! The system was updated to a Pentium 200 CPU, with a scan time of under 5 msec. The initial entire conversion/installation process took under 2 weeks.
Wood Stick Manufacturing Line	John Lewis	New	Hardbook SoftPLC Tealware I/O
	The assembly line manufactures small wooden sticks at a rate of 100,000 sticks/hour, then sorts them based on quality to various end products (popsicles, coffee stirrers, craft sticks). This very high speed application uses a number of PLC's connected via ethernet, with one PLC acting as a web server to provide data to a web-browser based HMI. A serial interface to a vision inspection system is included which provides the desired sortation information to SoftPLC based on quality of the sticks.
Milk Production	Bonlac Foods Ltd	PLC-5 Migration/Expansion	Hardbook SoftPLC A-B SLC-500 & Profibus I/O
	The system was originally controlled by a PLC-5/80E with 7 racks of SLC-500 I/O, which was out of memory and I/O capacity. The ladder logic was imported to SoftPLC, and 30 Profibus valve controls were added to the system. The wet process system includes 200 sequences and 17 PID loops controlling routing and cleaning of milk lines and silos, where each line must be rinsed, caustic washed, rinsed, acid washed and rinsed again before use. The system is comprised of a SoftPLC and Profibus valve network, a PLC-5/20E with a second Profibus valve network and a PLC-5/40E used for separator control. The SoftPLC CPU was originally a 386 industrial PC. Communications networks include an ethernet connection servicing (2) Citect I/O servers, (6) Citect Display Clients, a DH+ connection to (9) A-B PLC-5's, (8) A-B Panelviews and (1) A-B SLC-5/04. The Citect System uses a total of 28,000 tags. Throughput time on the SoftPLC is 52msec - on a 386! The system was updated in 2008 with a Pentium level Hardbook SoftPLC, and additional I/O and logic was also added at that time.
Shrimp Processing	Pacific Shrimp	New	Industrial PC, Smart SoftPLC Tealware I/O
	Seafood processing and data acquisition systems. The SoftPLC controls both local and remote Tealware I/O, and is used not only for control, but also as a data concentrator. The original system used a 19" rack mounted industrial computer, but later systems utilize Smart SoftPLC's.
IC's for Medical Tests	Thermobiostar	New	Tealware SoftPLC Tealware I/O
	The machine applies an antibody to an IC and seals it. The IC's are then used for in-doctor's office strep throat testing. The SoftPLC system utilizes COMGENIE for serial communications to a motion controller, and includes a Citect based operator interface.
Data Concentrator	Safeway Milk	New	Tealware SoftPLC Tealware I/O
	SoftPLC acts as a data concentrator, obtaining production information from (8) A-B SLC-500's. The SoftPLC Web Server is then used to provide formatted information on the company intranet and the internet to web browsers. SoftPLC's ability to easily connect to the A-B PLC's, tremendous data table capacity, and the embedded web server all combined to make this an easy to implement, low cost solution for e-Automation.
Sausage Stuffing Machine	Devro-Teepak	Replacement of SLC-500	STD Bus Computer APIX STD bus I/O
	The original design used an SLC-500 with an in-rack Basic module that performed a large number of calculations relating to the motion control required on the machine. There was a problem due to the data transfer time between the SLC-500 CPU and the SLC Basic module. Using the multi-CPU STD backplane, one for SoftPLC and another for the Basic code, resulting in a faster controller (SoftPLC) with better inter-CPU communications, as well as a lower cost and faster I/O platform. Using the SLC-500 conversion utility from SoftPLC, the OEM was able to retain most of his engineering of the ladder logic, and achieve his customer's production and quality goals. Click here for a more detailed application description.

Sampling of Applications in the Mining, Metals, Warehousing and other Material Handling Industries

Machine/ Process	Customer	1^st System	Hardware
Steel Production	Schultz Steel	PLC-5 Migration	Hardbook SoftPLC A-B 1771 I/O
	The customer wanted to add Fourier Transform Analysis calculations for metallurgy to an existing PLC-5 controlled system. A-B had proposed an expensive, proprietary co-processor module. A less expensive and more elegant solution was to replace the PLC-5/40 with a SoftPLC Processor with an A-B RIO interface card. The PLC-5 logic was imported, then the Fourier Transform calculations were built as TLI's by the user and added to the program. The existing I/O and HMI were unchanged.
Glass Coating Machines	Applied Films	PLC-5 Migration	Hardbook SoftPLC A-B 1771 I/O
	The machines coat glass, such as for rear-view mirrors and LCD displays. The original design used a PLC-5. The OEM wanted to use intelligent power supplies with a serial interface, but doing so with a traditional PLC would have been difficult. The original logic was imported, and the customer wrote TLM's to implement the serial communications. Click here for detailed description of this application.
High Speed Overnight Envelope Sorting	Sandvik Sorting Systems End users Post Office, FedEx, DHL, etc.	PLC-5 Migration	Hardbook SoftPLC A-B 1771 I/O
	The previous design used (2) PLC-5's, but the system was too slow and the envelopes were being mis-sorted, with only 20 diverter stations. The new design called for 50+ diverter stations and more speed. The original logic from the (2) PLC-5's was combined, then imported into SoftPLC. A TLM called CONVEYOR was developed to replace cumbersome ladder logic that matched the correct diverter station with bar coded zip code input, eliminating about 300 lines of logic.
Aggregate Production	Etheridge Automation	New	Smart & Tealware SoftPLCs Tealware I/O
	This OEM develops Quarry Automation systems - rock crushing to screening. Previously they had used PLC-5 or SLC-500 based on the size of the quarry, and thus were able to easily re-use their ladder logic with SoftPLC. The system design utilizes Tealware local and remote I/O, with a centralized monitoring and control system to maximize uptime on conveyors and crushers, currently on Wonderware, but they are migrating to SoftPLC Web Studio. Communication to the SCADA system is via wireless modems.
Mold control in Continuous Steel Caster	PESCO	New	Industrial Rack Mount SoftPLC Profibus & PC-bus I/O
	The SoftPLC is performing mold level control in a continuous caster. Profibus is used for the remote I/O, and direct PC bus I/O is being used for cost savings and high-speed needs.
Stamping Press	Northwest Industries	New	Tealware SoftPLC Tealware I/O
	The system controls a 1000 ton tool & die metal stamping press, including managing recipes for different parts and an absolute encoder to determine press position.
Aluminum Production	Valesul Aluminio	Upgrade from PLC-2	Hardbook SoftPLC Profibus I/O
	A SoftPLC Processor controlling Profibus I/O replaced an old PLC-2/20, converting the ladder logic and only making the changes necessary for the change in I/O brand, and to add enhancements not possible with the old system. Click here for a detailed description of this application.
Concrete Production	Cadman Inc	New	Tealware SoftPLC Tealware I/O
	The system controls a large sand, gravel and ready mix concrete plant, including automated control of a river dredging crane, many short haul conveyors, several mile-long conveyors, rock washer machines, rock crusher machines, and concrete mixing machines. System includes (2) SoftPLC in Tealware CPU's with local and remote Tealware I/O, and some Modbus serial devices. The operator interface is a Cutler-Hammer PanelMate located in a control tower.

Sampling of Applications in the Water & wastewater Industries

Machine/ Process	Customer	1^st System	Hardware
Distributed RTU's/Cellular SCADA Systems	various	New/Replacements	Smart SoftPLC Tealware I/O TagWell to Web Studio
	Pump stations, lift stations and water towers are controlled by a small SoftPLC IoTPAC, providing local data logging, alarming via text message and HMI via a web browser when needed. All the systems are connected via cell to TagWell, which runs an aggregator application providing regional staff an overview of the systems within their responsibility via web browser, with the ability to drill down into any single unit. A master Web Studio SCADA application at each regional plant and corporate HQ provides detailed historical information, alarms/trending, reports, etc. by connecting to TagWell, tremendously reducing the overall cost of the annual communications for the entire system.
Wastewater Reclamation	BP Oil	New	Tealware SoftPLC Tealware & Wireless I/O
	The system is a pump station that extracts hydrocarbons from ground water. Remote monitoring is done via the internet and web pages in the SoftPLC. One of the challenges of this system was some I/O that needed to be mounted on the opposite side of a large concrete apron, so A-series wireless I/O was utilized. The customer had previously used Siemens S200 PLC's, but the communications were not as robust or inexpensive as with SoftPLC, and the web connectivity was not available.
Chemical Plant Water System	Formosa Chemicals and Fibre Corporation	New	Tealware SoftPLC Tealware I/O
	SoftPLC is monitoring and controlling the Pumping station, which supplies water to the whole plant. The customer wanted to control the pump from their offices, which is 30 min. driving distance from the plant, and also to monitor the pump from headquarters, which is about 60 miles away from the plant. The remote control & monitoring was accomplished using SoftPLC's embedded Web Server.
Power Plant Water Treatment System	Raytheon Ebasco Overseas Ltd/Saudi Arabia	New	Redundant Tealware SoftPLC Tealware I/O
	A redundant CPU SoftPLC Tealware system is controlling a water pre-treatment plant of 400 m³/hour for a plant using a fiber optic connection to remote Tealware I/O. The SoftPLC is communicating with an existing DCS system via Modbus.
Drinking Water Treatment Plant	Taiwan Water Supply Company	New	Redundant Tealware SoftPLC Tealware I/O
	Water treatment control system includes automation of a 600,000 m³/day (CMD) water treatment plant for supplying drinking water. The system includes 3 hot standby Tealware SoftPLCs, 12 remote drops, around 4,000 digital points and 450 analog I/O channels. Redundant Ethernet and redundant iFIX HMI were integrated with the SoftPLC's in the system. Cost savings, good technical support and the reputation of proven reliability of the control product were the reasons why the customer adopted SoftPLC system for the plant.
Wastewater Treatment Plant	Taipei City Government	New	Redundant Tealware SoftPLC Tealware I/O
	This system controls a wastewater treatment plant with the capacity of handling 500,000 m³/day of wastewater. The system includes 4 hot standby Tealware SoftPLC's, more than 20 remote drops with dual remote I/O communication, more than 9,000 digital points and more than a thousand analog I/O channels. Eight iFIX HMI with redundant Ethernet communication were integrated with SoftPLCs to automate one of the biggest wastewater treatment plants in Taiwan. Cost savings, good technical support and the reputation of proven reliability of the control product were the reasons why the customer chose SoftPLC.

Sampling of Applications in the Wood Industries

Machine/ Process	Customer	1^st System	Hardware
Veneer Stacker	Elite Automation End users Boise Cascade, Weyerhaeuser, Georgia Pacific, Int'l Paper, Potlatch, many others	Upgrade from PLC-5 + PC	Hardbook SoftPLC Tealware/A-B 1771/PCI bus I/O Delta Tau PMAC Motion
	Machines are High Speed Veneer stackers, which sort wood by moisture and sheet size. Ladder scans must be below 0.5 ms and total system response time must be below 1 ms. Veneer travels into the stacker at 1,000+ feet per minute. High speed analog I/O boards and a PC based motion controller are part of the systems. The increased machine speed and better moisture sorting saves the mills millions of dollars. Previously, these systems used a PLC-5 plus a proprietary computer for the high speed and motion controls.
Lumber Treating & Chemical Mixing Process	McFarland Cascade	New	Tealware SoftPLC Tealware I/O
	This system automated a lumber treating & associated mixing process formerly done by hand. Includes serial connections to Panelmate for HMI, Sick Optic Lasers for liquid level measurement, and Cutler-Hammer VFD's. The embedded Web Server is used to access support documents stored in the SoftPLC.
Automated Wood Grading Station	Weyerhaueser	Replacement of PLC-5	Tealware SoftPLC Tealware & DeviceNet I/O
	This wood grading station upgrade used SoftPLC In Tealware with Tealware and DeviceNet I/O. Click here for a detailed description of this application. Based on the success of this application, the customer also upgraded the controls on their oven kiln controls.
Wood Dryer Controls	Weyerhaueser	Replacement of PC based control system	Tealware SoftPLC Tealware & DeviceNet I/O
	Due to the success of a wood grading station upgrade from Allen-Bradley to SoftPLC in Tealware, the customer also upgraded their Hardwood Oven Dryer kiln controls, which were formerly a PC-based system. The system was upgraded to reduce drying time and to improve the product quality.
Veneer Production	Boise Cascade	Replacement of Modicon PLCs	Tealware SoftPLC Tealware I/O
	A single SoftPLC replaced (3) Modicon PLC's for control of this veneer production machine. The system also acts as a data concentrator, collecting data from another Modicon PLC via Modbus and also from a PLC-5 over Ethernet.

Sampling of Applications in the Building Automation, HVAC, and Security Industries

Machine/ Process	Customer	1^st System	Hardware
Greenhouse Controls	Puriponics	New	Tealware SoftPLC Tealware I/O
	Commerical greenhouse uses SoftPLC for control of lights, water, pH, and temperature. The greenhouse grows algae for health food and medical customers. The operator interface is a built using SoftPLC's embedded web browser that uses Java applets for recipe management, and event and alarm logging to a database.
Building Automation	UltraPolis	Replace Modicon system	Hardbook SoftPLC Profibus I/O
	This building automation installation controls about 1600 DI, 800 DO, and 100 AI points used for security, temperature control and consumption monitoring. Three Profibus Master I/O Interface cards are used. Previously, the application used (6) Modicon PLC's, but now uses a single SoftPLC.
HVAC	Bei D Corporation	New	Tealware SoftPLC Tealware I/O
	The company manufactures CD Players. SoftPLC is controlling the HVAC system for the plant, interfaced to an iFix HMI.
HVAC & Security	Taiwan Fixed Network	New	Tealware SoftPLC Tealware I/O
	This company is an ISP and mobile phone service provider. The application is to monitor environmental conditions (fire alarm, UPS, water alarm, burglar alarm, backup generator, etc.) and send the information to their main and local control rooms. The company has five locations distributed around Taiwan that are connected by fiber. Using a web camera and some java code in the SoftPLC to implement SNMP traps, the SoftPLC system can trigger live camera images to be seen in the control rooms. Rather than continuous images that the operator could become immune to, the triggered images upon an event were thought to be a more effective solution. SoftPLC was selected for this application because the ladder logic and built-in I/O controls and java capability were much easier to implement and maintain than a custom solution on a PC.
HVAC & Security	OSC of Houston	New	Hardbook SoftPLC Interbus I/O
	HVAC, lighting, and door controls for an office building includes 70 PID loops. Via web interface, tenants can order off-hours heat and A/C, and notices sent to landlord for billing purposes.

Sampling of Applications in Miscellaneous Industries

Machine/ Process	Customer	1^st System	Hardware
Industrial Laundry Tunnel	EcoLabs End users Disneyworld & others	Replacement of GE 90/70	Hardbook SoftPLC GE 90/30 I/O
	The assembly line includes wash, rinse, dry and fold operations. The previous design used by the OEM utilized GE 90/70 PLC's with an Intellution HMI. This expensive solution had limited communications and networking capabilities. The new design utilized a Hardbook SoftPLC with GE Series 90/30™ I/O, with ethernet communications to the HMI. (Which in 1996 was quite unique!)
Cathodic Arc Coating	Northeast Coating	New	Tealware SoftPLC Tealware I/O, DeviceNet, A-Series
	These machines perform a vacuum coating process that uses (4) arc cathodes, which deposit materials such as titanium, titanium nitride, titanium carbo-nitride, and titanium with aluminum on materials (known as substrates), for products such as tool & die tooling, medical implements, blades known as "perfs" for separating grocery bags, and a wide variety of items where the coating is decorative, such as sunglasses. The process the machine uses is known as a vacuum coating process. The substrates are coated while the pressure is being maintained at about 10 milliTorr (there is 760 Torr of pressure on a standard day at sea level). The substrates rotate in front of the four cathodes during the coating process.
Industrial Part Washing Machines	Proceco	New	Tealware SoftPLC Tealware I/O serial motion
	The machines are used to wash various parts prior to assembly. Since the different parts are different shapes/sizes, the machine includes very sophisticated motion control and recipe management, along with the normal PLC control. SoftPLC communicates serially to Kollmorgen smart amplifiers for 5 axes control, and also to a PanelView HMI. The system includes a "teach mode" for new parts, where SoftPLC learns from manually positioned nozzles. SoftPLC's huge memory capacity makes it possible to store hundreds of different parts with no on-site setup required by OEM as new parts are added. COMGENIE was used extensively to easily handle all the serial communications.
Cellular Telephone Manufacturing	MTEC (Division of Panasonic) End user Ericsson	New	Hardbook SoftPLC Interbus I/O
	In addition to assembling the PC boards for cellular telephones, the PLC system needed to communicate test data via a custom serial protocol to an HP minicomputer. The OEM wrote a TLM using COMGENIE as a basis on which to implement the custom protocol.

Machine/ Process	Customer	1^st System	Hardware
Medical Cloth Manufacturing	Undisclosed	Conversion from PLC-5/VME	Hardbook SoftPLC A-B 1771 I/O SERCOS motion
	The machine produces cloth used for medical applications. The OEM imported existing PLC-5/VME logic into the SoftPLC, and converted the VME based motion control to run in an Indramat PC-Based SERCOS card for the 24 axes of motion, and used the existing 1771 I/O. SoftPLC's embedded web server is used as an operator interface and also as a way to access the on-PLC user documentation, CAD drawings, and a set-up video.
Dyeing Machine	D'Alma Elettronica	New	Hardbook SoftPLC Profibus I/O serial motion
	The SoftPLC controls an automated lab for the dyeing industry. A multi-port serial card is used to talk to a high precision weighing system and to a number of intelligent brushless drives via RS-485. The HMI is a custom Visual Basic program.
Boiler Control	Fong Chu Textile Co	New	Redundant SoftPLC in Tealware Tealware I/O
	A Hot-Standby SoftPLC system controls a boiler system in a textile process, an iFix HMI is used as the operator interface.
Dyeing Machine	TYDT Corp	New	SoftPLC in Tealware Tealware I/O
	This advanced shock wave dyeing machine needs very sophisticated PID control, including the stages of rising and falling ramping for the air heating system supplied in the tank of the machine. The advantages of Java in SoftPLC also help the manufacturer provide powerful integration capability on the intranet for recipe control and data management.

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