If this option isn’t available, make sure that you are offline as mentioned above, you won’t be able to perform this action online. To create a New AOI, right click on the “Add-On Instructions” Folder in the Controller Organizer and select “New Add-On Instruction”.
However, if planned accordingly, this isn’t a problem, but rather a deterrent for anyone to modify your code on a live PLC. This is one of the major drawbacks of AOIs. Rslogix 5000 Programming Complete Self-Assessment Guide. However, you do need to work in an Offline program in order to create or modify them. PLC Programming Using RSLogix 500 & Real World Applications: Learn Ladder Logic Concepts Step by. Getting started with AOIs is fairly straightforward. Building an Add-On Instruction in RSLogix / Studio 5000 As you gain experience as a PLC programmer, you’ll recognize cases which could benefit from an AOI and others which won’t. The biggest mistake I see programmers make is converting all their code into an AOI, nesting multiple AOIs and utilizing AOIs for basic logic. The goal of the AOI here would be to simplify your code into fewer rungs and to make it easier to program. You’re a PLC Programmer who’s using the same exact rungs of code repeatedly.The AOI would provide an API (Application Program Interface) for the users looking to work with your system. You’re an OEM or Systems Integrator working with a new product and want to create an instruction which would interface said hardware.Based on what we’ve seen in the field, there could be several good circumstances in which an AOI would be justified:
Just like with User-Defined Data Types (UDTs), there’s a reason for using an AOI implementation. This practice is common & provides integrators with a simple way to interface with a certain device without having to work with registers directly.
This instruction allows the user to easily interface with the camera supplied by Cognex. An example which comes to mind is that Cognex In-Sight 7200 Camera AOI. Many third-party vendors and OEMs release custom AOIs for their equipment.
Based on my experience, it’s also important to have been exposed to structured code in order to properly implement AOIs. An Add-On Instruction or AOI is basically a function which is defined by the programmer and works in the same manner as the one provided by Rockwell.īuilding AOIs is not complicated but does require a good understanding of PLC programming. They give a programmer the ability to define custom instructions in order to maximize code reusability and simplify development. Add-On Instructions play a critical role in PLC programming.