The expansion expands the MicroSmart FC6A All-in-One PLC family with three new 12V DC CPUs. End users, designers, and OEMs now have more options for automating battery-backed equipment, traffic controls, and heavy equipment vehicles.

Many applications require 12V DC power. Smaller smart relays may support too few I/O points and lack enough programmability, while more full-featured PLCs are too expensive and don’t provide the necessary I/O voltages. The new 16 I/O FC6A All-in-One CPUs with 12V DC offer the right balance, enabling these PLCs to handle over 100 I/O points in an economical and expandable form factor.

Still included are all of the standard FC6A All-in-One features users have come to rely on: Ethernet, USB, and serial connectivity; SD memory slot; replaceable battery; HMI module; up to three I/O expansion modules with removable terminal blocks; other digital and analog expansion modules available; and easy expansion of communication ports.

The rugged form factor can with withstand the -25 to 65°C operating temperatures and Class I Div 2 environments found at the types of remote conditions where these PLCs are often installed. Users can configure and monitor the PLC using the WindEdit app for iOS and Android over Bluetooth and Ethernet. The popular Modbus TCP and RTU industrial protocols are built-in, as are data logging and web server functions.

IDEC Corporation

At any remote locations where solar power supplies batteries, or on board any vehicles or portable equipment, 12V DC batteries are commonly used to power automation and control systems. This is why the FC6A All-in-One 12V DC PLC is ideal for:

• Solar-powered traffic controls
• Remote chemical injection systems
• Isolated weather monitoring stations
• Mobile equipment like gutter cutting machines, portable chillers, compressed natural gas skids, and air compressors