Makers have long asked the question “why bother with an expensive PLC when I can just use an Arduino?” The answer comes down to the priorities and needs of industrial clients. In a factory automation setting, the client will prioritize durability, reliability, and serviceability over the one-time purchase price of the device itself. But to prove that Arduino’s professional turnkey solutions are just as easy to use as their developer-focused educational counterparts, Jeremy Cook leveraged an Arduino Opta micro PLC to build a drum machine.
This isn’t any old drum machine that plays sound samples or synthesized notes, but rather a robotic drum machine that makes noise by banging on stuff like a true percussion instrument. Cook could have built this with any Arduino board and a few relays, but instead chose to implement the Opta and new Opta Digital Expansion. That is robust enough for serious commercial and industrial applications, but is still simple to program with the familiar Arduino IDE. Programmers can also use conventional PLC languages if they prefer.
In this case, Cook made noise with relays and solenoids. The Opta has four built-in relays and Cook’s sketch flips one of them to make a sound analogous to a hi-hat. Cook added an Arduino Pro Opta Ext D1608S module with its solid-state relays for the other two “drums.” One of those fires a solenoid that taps a small hand drum (the kick drum sound), while the other controls a solenoid that hits a power supply enclosure (the snare sound).
Together, those three sounds can cover the basics of a drum track. Cook’s sketch is a drum sequencer program that stores each sound sequence as array, looping through them until turned off.
An Opta may be overkill for a project like this one, but this does a great job of demonstrating the ease at which an Arduino user can transition to professional PLC work.
Last year, we launched the Arduino Pro Opta: it was an instant success with our community, and allowed us to reach PLC engineers with a new solution specifically designed for their needs.
To further expand Opta’s capabilities, today the Arduino ecosystem welcomes various expansions that allow you to add new I/Os in the simplest and fastest way possible.
Meet the Opta Digital Expansions
The digital expansions, Arduino Pro Opta Ext D1608E and Arduino Pro Opta Ext D1608S, are ideal to multiply the number of real-time control points in the manufacturing sector and in any building automation project. The new, ready-to-use I/Os are seamlessly adopted by the Opta controller, giving you a native-like management experience. Each expansion offers 16 programmable inputs and eight relay outputs (electromechanical or solid state), and up to five expansions can be mixed to obtain the best fit for each project.
Stay tuned for the Opta Analog Expansion!
We are also finalizing an analog option: the Arduino Pro Opta Ext A0602 (coming soon) will allow you to diversify your data acquisition capabilities, and expand your devices’ actuation possibilities with great flexibility and process efficiency. Configuring new inputs/outputs to acquire 0-10 V and 0/4-20 mA signals and temperature values through PT100 will help you take Opta’s monitoring and control capabilities to a new level.
The Opta is our industrial-grade micro PLC, developed in partnership with Finder to provide engineers with a durable, reliable, secure and high-performance hardware, while still maintaining our signature flexibility and ease of deployment in production.
All three variants of Opta are based on a powerful STM32H747XI Dual ArmARM® Cortex® microcontroller and can be programmed using C++ in Arduino sketches, but also offer the flexibility of incorporating any or all of the 5 traditional IEC 61131-3 PLC automation control languages.
To find out more, check out the three variants in our Store:
• Opta Lite: with Ethernet onboard and USB-C® programming ports (SKU: AFX00003)
• Opta RS485: which also adds RS485 half duplex connectivity interface (SKU: AFX00001)
• Opta WiFi: the most versatile option, featuring also Wi-Fi®/Bluetooth® Low Energy connectivity (SKU: AFX00002)
In a world where industrial automation is rapidly advancing, education often struggles to keep pace.
This disconnect leaves a big gap in practical, industry-relevant skills among graduates.
Addressing this critical need, we’re excited to introduce the Arduino PLC Starter Kit. Powered by the robust Arduino Opta mini PLC and backed by the intuitive Arduino PLC IDE, this kit is set to revolutionize programmable logic control education.
Continue reading to find out more about the PLC Starter Kit.
What is the Arduino PLC Starter Kit?
Before we delve into the details of this exciting new offering, let’s explain exactly what a PLC is. A Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) is a type of industrial computer that’s used to automate, control and coordinate a wide range of manufacturing processes and machinery.
The Arduino PLC Starter Kit isn’t just another educational tool; it’s a comprehensive solution designed to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application in industrial automation — a powerful simulation tool specifically created for vocational and university students considering a career in manufacturing.
Here’s what this groundbreaking kit offers:
20 hours of in-depth lessons — Explore the world of programmable logic control with the ‘Explore PLC’ course. The course has been created by educators and covers all the essential contents including the history of programmable logic controllers, Modbus RS-485 communications, and how PLCs integrate with industrial simulated systems.
Arduino Opta WiFi — Built with industrial IoT capabilities, our versatile and easy-to-use micro PLC offers real-time control, monitoring, and predictive maintenance for a variety of applications. Based on the existing Arduino Opta WiFi, it includes the STM32H747XI dual-core Arm® Cortex®-M7 +M4 MCU, making it exceptionally reliable and robust for your classroom.
Digital input and output simulators – The kit’s custom-designed hardware helps bring learning to life by allowing users to replicate real-world situations. The input simulator (DIN Simul8) includes 8 switches and power control, while the output simulator (DIN Celsius) features a resistor array and a temperature sensor.
Arduino PLC IDE — Our popular programming tool, Arduino PLC IDE, makes programming simple. Choose from any of the five programming languages defined by the IEC 61131-3 standard (Ladder, Functional Block Diagram, Structured Text, Sequential Function Chart, or Instruction List) to quickly code a range of PLC applications
Arduino IDE 2 — Another benefit of the kit is that it can be programmed using our powerful IDE 2. A step up from the classic Arduino IDE, the Arduino IDE 2 offers increased performance, an improved user interface and other new features, such as autocompletion and a built-in debugger.
And let’s not forget that all the kit’s hardware is fully compatible with the Arduino Cloud.
Get industry-ready with real-life simulations
Thanks to their exceptional flexibility, programmable logic controllers are being used more and more frequently in a wide range of industries. From production plants, assembly lines and packaging machines to heating control systems, traffic lights and elevators, PLC applications are vast and varied.
To help students prepare for the demands of these competitive industries and the challenges they face, we believe they need access to high-quality PLC simulation tools. After all, there’s a big difference between reading about programming in a textbook and actually doing it. As Benjamin Franklin once famously said, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn”. And that’s where the PLC Starter Kit comes into play.
Boasting industrial IoT capabilities, the kit’s Opta WiFi mini PLC — together with the input and output simulators – allows students to design and implement programs that simulate real-life industrial automation projects.
Take a manufacturing production line, for instance. To prevent overheating and a potential fire, the equipment’s PLC might be programmed to shut down when the input sensor detects a high temperature. With the PLC Starter Kit, students can simulate a similar scenario and gain practical knowledge about how inputs and outputs interface with a PLC.
It’s a great way to promote a deeper understanding of industrial automation and system behavior, while giving students the hands-on experience and critical thinking skills they’ll need to tackle real-world challenges in their professional careers.
Try the Arduino PLC Starter Kit today
With its powerful industrial IoT capabilities, easy programming software and wealth of online content, the PLC Starter Kit is the perfect introduction to automated programming for students and educators.
Interested in using the PLC Starter Kit in your education setting? Order the PLC Starter Kit here or get in touch through your local distributor and discover how it can transform your learning environment.
Connecting machines and equipment to the internet became easier than ever when we launched the Arduino Opta micro PLC, enabling real-time control, monitoring, predictive maintenance and more – in industries ranging from smart agriculture to large-scale manufacturing to building automation.
Supporting our well-known Arduino sketch programming experience and any of the five IEC 61131-3 PLC standard languages, the Opta was designed to be powerful yet easy to use from the start – as well as highly secure. Indeed, the Opta supports OTA firmware updates and ensures data security from the hardware to the Cloud thanks to the physical onboard secure element and X.509 Standard compliance.
In addition, as part of the go-to-market for this innovative hardware solution, we actively committed to verifying its security against the threats posed by cyberattacks.
To this end, in late 2023 we started a collaboration with global cybersecurity provider HWG Sababa: their Offensive Team engaged in a penetration test that lasted weeks, assessing Opta’s security posture and pinpointing any weaknesses. Their meticulous report allowed us to remedy any vulnerabilities before they became actual issues, and now we are proud to say the Opta is more secure than ever.
The software patches and configuration updates we carried out are part of our ongoing commitment to providing you the most robust solutions on the market in every respect – including against ever-evolving cyber threats. The rigorous testing process and following activities our team completed only confirms Opta as an ideal candidate for any industrial automation project you have in mind.
Um dir ein optimales Erlebnis zu bieten, verwenden wir Technologien wie Cookies, um Geräteinformationen zu speichern und/oder darauf zuzugreifen. Wenn du diesen Technologien zustimmst, können wir Daten wie das Surfverhalten oder eindeutige IDs auf dieser Website verarbeiten. Wenn du deine Einwillligung nicht erteilst oder zurückziehst, können bestimmte Merkmale und Funktionen beeinträchtigt werden.
Funktional
Immer aktiv
Die technische Speicherung oder der Zugang ist unbedingt erforderlich für den rechtmäßigen Zweck, die Nutzung eines bestimmten Dienstes zu ermöglichen, der vom Teilnehmer oder Nutzer ausdrücklich gewünscht wird, oder für den alleinigen Zweck, die Übertragung einer Nachricht über ein elektronisches Kommunikationsnetz durchzuführen.
Vorlieben
Die technische Speicherung oder der Zugriff ist für den rechtmäßigen Zweck der Speicherung von Präferenzen erforderlich, die nicht vom Abonnenten oder Benutzer angefordert wurden.
Statistiken
Die technische Speicherung oder der Zugriff, der ausschließlich zu statistischen Zwecken erfolgt.Die technische Speicherung oder der Zugriff, der ausschließlich zu anonymen statistischen Zwecken verwendet wird. Ohne eine Vorladung, die freiwillige Zustimmung deines Internetdienstanbieters oder zusätzliche Aufzeichnungen von Dritten können die zu diesem Zweck gespeicherten oder abgerufenen Informationen allein in der Regel nicht dazu verwendet werden, dich zu identifizieren.
Marketing
Die technische Speicherung oder der Zugriff ist erforderlich, um Nutzerprofile zu erstellen, um Werbung zu versenden oder um den Nutzer auf einer Website oder über mehrere Websites hinweg zu ähnlichen Marketingzwecken zu verfolgen.
