Allen-Bradley Micro870 PLC aims to reduce complexity of standalone machines

Mar. 29, 2018 – Rockwell Automation says machine designers can use a new Allen-Bradley Micro870 PLC to help optimize the control architecture in large standalone machines or systems.

Support smart micro applications that require up to 304 I/O points, 280 KB of memory and 20,000 program instructions, the new PLC uses a flexible design concept that provides designers up to three plug-ins and eight expansion I/O modules.

The controller’s 280 KB memory capacity supports modular programming and the use of user-defined function blocks to help reduce design time, explains Rockwell, adding that machine builders can use this memory capacity to maintain a single program for all machine models that use the Micro870 PLC. The controller communicates via EtherNet/IP and includes different embedded communications options, including a USB programming port, a non-isolated serial port and an Ethernet port. It can also support up to two axes of motion.

The new Connected Components Workbench software version 11 provides a single design environment for programming the Micro870 PLC. The software can also be used to configure Allen-Bradley PanelView 800 graphic terminals, PowerFlex AC drives, Kinetix component servo drives, electronic overload relays, light curtains and configurable safety relays.