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The ACC PLC simulator is a free
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browserbased ladder logic editor and PLC
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scan engine. There's nothing to download
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and nothing to install. You open it in
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Chrome, Edge, or Firefox, and you start
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programming immediately.
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I built this simulator so that anyone
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learning PLC programming can get
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hands-on practice without needing
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hardware. Detailed information contained
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in this video can be found at acccca.ca.
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A link has been provided below. The
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website offers extensive links,
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references, and coding samples, making
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it a one-stop shop for all your
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automation queries. accautomation.ca.
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When you open the simulator, you'll see
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three main areas on the screen. On the
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left is the instruction pallet. In the
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center is the ladder logic editor, where
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you build your program. And on the right
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is the IO panel where you toggle inputs
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The toolbar across the top gives you
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access to run, stop, step, connect, and
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other controls. Let's talk about the
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toolbar. The run button starts the scan
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engine. The simulator will continuously
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scan your ladder logic, read inputs,
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solve the logic, and update outputs.
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This is the same as putting a real PLC
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into run mode. The stop button halts the
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scan engine, and the step button
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executes a single scan cycle while in
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stop mode. Step is one of the most
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useful debugging tools in the simulator.
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You can toggle an input, press step, and
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see exactly what changed.
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The instruction pallet on the left
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contains all the instructions you can
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use. For contacts, you have XIC, which
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is a normally open contact that passes
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power when the bit is true, and XIO,
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which is a normally closed contact that
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passes power when the bit is false. For
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outputs, you have OTT, which is the
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standard output coil, OTL, which latches
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an output on, and OTU, which unlatches
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it. The simulator also supports timers,
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counters, and analog compare
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The simulator uses standard PLC register
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types. X registers are your digital
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inputs. These represent physical devices
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like buttons, switches, and sensors. A
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registers are your digital outputs.
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These control things like motors, pilot
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lights, and solenoid valves. Creisters
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are internal relays. They don't connect
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to anything physical, but they are
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essential for organizing complex
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programs. The simulator also supports
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timers, counters, and analog registers
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for process control. The IO panel on the
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right side of the screen is where you
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interact with your program. Each input
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has a toggle switch you can click to
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turn it on or off. This is the same as
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pressing a physical push button on a PLC
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trainer. Outputs are readonly indicators
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that show the current state as
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determined by your ladder logic. Green
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means the output is on. Analog inputs
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have sliders that let you set a value
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from 0 to 495, simulating a 12-bit
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To build a program, click the add rung
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button to create a new empty rung. Drag
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a contact from the pallet onto the rung
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and assign it a register address like
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X1. Then drag a coil onto the right side
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and assign it to a Y or C register. To
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create parallel branches for O logic,
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right click on a contact and add a
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branch. Double click any element to
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change its address or add a comment.
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When you're ready to test, press run or
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hit F5. Toggle inputs in the IO panel
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and watch the ladder logic highlight in
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green as power flows through true
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contacts. The wires between elements
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also turn green to show the power flow
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path. This gives you an immediate visual
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representation of how your logic is
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executing in real time.
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I recommend every beginner spend time
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with step mode. It forces you to think
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through the logic one scan at a time.
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Put the simulator in stop mode. Toggle
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the inputs you want to test. Press step.
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Observe what changed. Which contacts
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turned green? Which coils energized?
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Then toggle another input and press step
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again. This is exactly how you debug PLC
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logic in the real world.
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The simulator has a scene connection
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system that links your ladder logic to
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interactive 3D environments. Click
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connect in the toolbar. Browse the
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available scenes and click launch. The
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scene opens in a new browser tab and
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connects automatically. Once connected,
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the 3D scene drives your X inputs and
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your Y outputs drive the 3D objects.
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There are five scenes available. The
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control panel with start, stop, and jog
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push buttons. The conveyor with
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proximity sensors, the tank fill station
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with float switches and a drain pump.
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The traffic light intersection with
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pedestrian buttons and the pick and
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place palletizer with an XY gantry arm.
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Two more scenes are in development, a
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sorting bottle scene and a panel wiring
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scene. The simulator comes preloaded
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with a two-run start stop jog program.
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This is a classic motor control circuit
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that teaches three important concepts.
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the seal in latch, which is how an
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output holds itself on after a momentary
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start button is released. The normally
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closed stop, which shows why the stop
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button is wired NC and what that means
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for the XIC instruction, and the jog
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interlock, which uses internal relay C1
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to block the seal and path, so the motor
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only runs while the jog button is held.
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If you're enjoying this video, please
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hit the like button below. Keeping up
5:32
with all the latest automation
5:34
innovations can be difficult, so hit the
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subscribe button. Remember to hit the
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bell beside your subscription to receive
5:45
Here are my tips for getting started.
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Start simple. Build a single rung with
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one contact and one coil. Run it. Toggle
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the input. See the output respond. Then
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add complexity. Use the step button.
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Don't just watch things happen in run
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mode. Stop the simulator. Toggle your
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inputs manually and press step. This is
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where the real learning happens. Use
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internal relays. Creisters are your best
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friend for organizing logic. And connect
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a scene. The 3D scenes add a visual
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layer that makes the logic much easier
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accccclautomation.ca/simulator
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to try the ACC PLC simulator yourself.
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The link is in the description. If you
6:28
found this helpful, subscribe to
6:29
acccammation for more PLC tutorials and
6:32
leave a comment telling me what you'd
6:33
like to learn next. Thanks for watching.
