Hardware and Software

Practicing programming without appropriate hardware or software will take you nowhere. Below are some of the recommendations to kick start your training.

Hardware and Software

Hardware	Related Software	Wiki resources	Remarks
Arduino Uno Buy	Arduino IDE Download	Arduino	For beginners in programming
Allen Bradley Micro850 PLC Buy	Connected Component Workbench Download You need to make an account	Micro850 PLC	Free software with PLC Simulation and Ethernet adaptor
Allen Bradley M1000 and M1400 PLC	RsLogix 500 Download LogixPro Simulator Download	Micrologix 1000 PLC Micrologix 1400 PLC	Use RsEmulate Software to emulate the software
ctrlX CORE Buy	ctrlX WORKS More information	ctrlX CORE	Virtual ctrlX WORKS can be installed on PC
Delta PLC Software Buy	WPL Soft or ISP Soft, COMMGR Download latest version from Delta website	Delta Electronics	For digital and analog PLC programming
Delta HMI B Series	DOPSoft Download latest version from Delta website	Delta HMI
Delta Servo Drive ASDA B-Series	ASDS Soft Download latest version from Delta website
Schneider PLC	ZelioSoft Download EcoStructire Machine Expert Basic Download		Free PLC Simulator
IO-Link Started kit from IFM Buy	Latest updated from IFM website
Omron PLC	CX-One Automation Software Download	Omron	Available on request
PLCnext Buy	PLCnext Engineering Download	PLCnext	Free software with PLC Simulation
Raspberry pi Buy	OS for Raspberry pi Download	Raspberry Pi	Best cost effective hardware for beginners. Highly recommended
Safety Controller SC10 Buy	Banner safety controller Download	Banner SC10 Series	Free software with simulation
S7-1200 PLC Buy Siemens KTP 400 HMI	TIA Portal- Step 7 Basic/Professional, WinCC and Step 7 Safety Download	S7-1200 (Basic) S7-1200 (Advanced)	With 21 days trial version
Siemens Starter kit			Weblink
S7-200 PLC	STEP7 MicroWIN V4- Download STEP7 MicroWIN V4.0 SP8 und SP9- Download	S7-200	Download the basic version of MicroWIN v4 first and then the SP9
Weintek HMI	EasyBuilder Pro (Free) Download	Weintek	You can simulate HMI screens with most of the PLC without HMI hardware

Software Platform

Software	More information	Remarks
Draw IO	https://app.diagrams.net/	Open source software for creating industrial drawings
FACTORY IO	https://codeandcompile.com/factory-io	3D simulation for industrial automation
Ignition SCADA	https://inductiveautomation.com/scada-software/	Free repeated trial for 2 months. Download the Maker Edition
Node-RED	https://nodered.org/	Open source software for IIoT
MQTT Box	https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/9NBLGGH55JZG?hl=en-us&gl=US	Free MQTT app for Windows, Linux, iOS
MQTT Dash	https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.routix.mqttdash&hl=en&gl=US	Free mobile client for Android
MQTT Tool	https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mqttool/id1085976398	Free mqtt client for iOS
MySQL Workbench	https://dev.mysql.com/downloads/installer/	Free software for MySQL
Net2PLC	http://nettoplcsim.sourceforge.net/	Free virtual adaptor for S7 PLCs to connect to Node-RED or SCADA platforms
Prosys OPC UA Server, Client, Simulation,Monitor	https://www.prosysopc.com/	Free trial
Putty	https://www.putty.org/	Open-source SSH client
StackEdit	https://stackedit.io	Editor for md files
UaExpert	https://www.unified-automation.com/products/development-tools/uaexpert.html	Free OPC UA client

Looking for a suitable computer for the above hardware and software configuration? Check out our recommend computer here Computer configuration