PLC engineering software (MELSEC) GX Works2
Integrated PLC Engineering Software
Ultimate evolution of PLC engineering software
International Standard IEC 61131-3 compliant
Now an easy-to-use engineering software is no surprise.
In addition to its sophisticated usability, the engineering software GX Works2 deploys the global mainstream concepts of “grouping” and “structuring” for fundamental improvement of programming efficiency.
The world-standard engineering style begins with GX Works2.
Promoting program standardization
1Structured programming
From a roll of ladder program to structured programming
By using a Structured project, a large and complicated program is structured and divided into parts according to the processing details, control details, and functionalities.
A “roll” of ladder program tends to be difficult to view the entire processing. On the contrary, by designing a compact program module for each process in structured programming, coding and debugging will be more efficient and the program quality will be also improved.
It also supports complicated structured programming by allowing for a nesting structure which puts a FB in another FB.
2International Standard IEC 61131-3 compliant
GX Works2 conforms to the international standard IEC 61131-3.
Graphical language
Ladder language
This graphical language represents a program as a ladder which consists of contact points and coils.
Structured ladder/FBD language
The structured ladder language is a graphical language used according to the design technique of the relay circuit. The structured ladder allows for nesting FBs. The FBD language graphically represents a ladder by connecting functions and/or FBs.
SFC language
A graphical language for comprehensively describing sequence control.
This language pairs a step which describes a process with a transition condition to move to the next step.
The step and transition condition are described in the ladder language.
Text language
ST (structured text) language
The ST language allows for describing control with selection divergence using conditional statements and loops using iteration syntax, similar to high-level languages such as C. This helps creating comprehensive and concise programs.
3Improve development efficiency using user libraries
With structured projects, frequently-used programs are saved in user library files separately from the project. By importing these user library files into a project, the program is developed efficiently without having to create it from scratch.
4Label programming
Labels are used to give easily identifiable names such as “Production line start signal” or “Start parts supply” to devices.
Using labels eliminates device assignment upon system changes.