Virtualizing control systems with FactoryTalk® Logix Echo can help customers save significant engineering efforts and financial expenditure at every stage of a project from start to finish. Attention was dedicated to improving testing, giving users access to more than 20 variations of the 5580 ControlLogix® platform at their disposal.
FactoryTalk Logix Echo simplifies the emulator experience by providing users the opportunity to download directly to FactoryTalk Logix Echo without modifications. The modern user interface (UI) paired with project downloads gives anyone the chance to learn how to use it. Having the emulation of the 5580 ControlLogix Ethernet port means that to other software, FactoryTalk Logix Echo looks like another controller, offering flexibility to expand your emulation to visualization or other controllers.
Version 2 will be the first emulation platform to support safety controllers by introducing GuardLogix® 5580 controller catalogs. Users can download to GuardLogix controller types and emulate the execution of both Standard and Safety tasks in their project. The inaugural version supported one 17 slot chassis, but the latest release now supports the creation and communication of multiple chassis with one FactoryTalk Logix Echo license. Users can create the configuration and arrangement of controllers/slots that they need without previous limitations, adding flexibility for multiple users to each access different controllers that can all live in their respective positions.
This expansion, with Studio 5000® Logix Designer V35, includes the support of the Axis Test Mode feature that provides the physical axis to be placed into a test mode during evaluation, emulation, and testing. This gives users downloading a project into FactoryTalk Logix Echo automatically a place motion axis into test mode, removing the need to make modifications.