Programming the Arduino OPTA

Arduino have recently released a new version of the Arduino PLC IDE that supports the OPTA. I decided to record a video where I play around with it. To summarize: I've hade a BLAST playing around with it! I can't remember when I had SO MUCH FUN lately. What's making the OPTA so powerful is the fact that I can run traditional Arduino sketches (written in C/C++) AND traditional PLC-programs (written in any of the five IEC 61131-3 languages) at the SAME TIME!
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0:00 Introduction
2:22 Activate runtime & license
5:22 Writing a sketch
11:30 Writing PLC-program
13:16 Sponsor: Ship In Six
13:50 Combining the two
23:58 It works!
#arduino #plc #opta

[@sheggz591]

I am loving this and can't wait for your next video in this series.

[@simenkirkerd7650]

Very nice to see! I had completely missed the PLC IDE software, thus started program in Sketch. I'll switch to the PLC IDE software asap, and take it from there.

[@squishyfaceguy]

Yessss! I was planning to set my opta up today. Just in the nick of time with this video

[@JakobSagatowski]

Hope you like it!

[@GardinerAllen]

Thank you so much for making this video! This hardware is super exciting

[@JakobSagatowski]

Glad it was helpful!

[@automation_jeff]

I liked your presentation on the new Arduino PLC software. It's a limited use PLC, I don't know if you were expecting the same functionality you'd see from a Siemens S7-400 or even a S7-1200 but for 200USD it would certainly compete with the Logo. I've worked for a few different automation companies, and I agree with you, the software should be a giveaway. Once someone is hooked on the software it's hard to change them, the money is in the hardware. In fact Fender is just a relay manufacturer.

[@dualcrocadile]

"Christmas Man" 😂🎅 Awesome video Jakob 👍

[@JakobSagatowski]

The Christmas man will give all kind children PLCs for Christmas! 🎅

[@janm.dybvik9318]

I didn't know you could run both arduino sketch and a PLC program at the same time. Got to test it out on my Opta.

[@MartinoDesign99]

Thank you for this video. I am trying to get my OPTA to recognize a digital input. Can you make a video for both Analog and Digital inputs in the Ladder language?

[@matthewgiannotti3355]

I love all of your videos, thank you! I have sort of a dumb question. Is it possible to control a 5-phase stepper motor drive with the relay outputs from the OPTA, or the relay outputs in addition to a pwm signal generator which converts the relay output voltage to a desired pulse output which controls the driver? Would I use a simple pulse timer? How would you solve this problem?

[@panifreshproyectos]

Hi Jakob, excelent video! I have a question that maybe you can help me with that. You know if we can save the values of variables that are being sensed in memory in case the system shuts down, these variables can be restored?

[@Thoft]

Thanks for another great video Jacob 😃👍 I wonder if they have been inspired by Siemens 🤔, in Siemens SCL you also will have to end instructions with semicolon…

[@santiagotello8747]

Gracias 👍

[@unitedbolts8053]

Looks nice but still incomplete hardware. I have some questions: is there a version with digital outputs? (pulse+dir), also, the inputs can be used with pnp 24vdc? Or still 5vdc from arduino? is there any shield with can supported? Canopen, Canbus, ethercat etc? Can I compile in codesys? (compatibility with soft motion for advanced motion, cam, gearing etc).

[@geonumerics]

Hi Jakob. Great videos on the OPTA! Found them really helpful when i was starting to test mine out (and contributed to me getting one to test in the first place TBH). I'm now a bit further down the rabbit hole and wondered if you could provide any insight. Have you managed to get the OPTA to communicate with an MQTT broker securely yet? If you link it via the Arduino Cloud online tool you can connect to their broker, but it removes all the great PLC stuff and just flashes it like a normal Arduino. Then if you use the PLC IDE, it seems the OPTA core is missing all the libraries needed to communicate securely through TLS/SSL (stuff present in the previous ESP32/ESP8266 architecture cores). I'm almost certainly missing a library or process, but there is no documentation on it. You seem to be well ahead of most with it so thought I'd try my luck asking. So far no response from Arduino Pro help, but I'm hopeful they may respond at some point. Either way, thanks for the great content.

[@Jugtek]

I develop software for the TM172 PLC range from Schneider, who use an IDE from the same manufacturer. It's a strange and basic IDE with a behavior I have gotten used to. I hope they include a mini HMI like on the TM172 because we get a lot of mileage from the HMI. I would like to share some libraries I have made for this environment

[@marcomeli9882]

Hi, yes please if you can share some libriaries with us!

[@AdamBishop24]

Any hopes in seeing a video on running a modbus relay board on the Opta?

[@cadcaetutorial2039]

So nice this videos sir

[@marekfioka5660]

Hi Jocob. First of all, thank you for this cool video. For several days I've also been playing with my first Opta PLC controller. In your video you showed that there is a problem with blinking LEDs (from 7:15). I have the same problem. However, I noticed that this is due to the simultaneous operation of the PLC program and the program from the Arduino sketch. This applies not only to LEDs but also to relay outputs. As soon as the PLC is stopped, the sketch program starts to run normally. When I start a PLC program, the output or LED is lit for a moment, but then its state is switched to FALSE. Have you managed to solve this problem?

[@JakobSagatowski]

Hi Marek! Thanks for this information. No, sorry I have not been able to solve this problem. Will probably get back to it once I start digging into trying to get MQTT to work at the same time as the PLC application though.

[@marekfioka5660]

@@JakobSagatowski I'm one step further. And I know for 100% that the fault lies precisely in the fact that the PLC has full control over the outputs. So the Arduino sketch should operate only on variables transferred to the PLC (PLCOut). You cannot set physical outputs on a sketch. I myself have been wondering for a long time what would be a better solution. Should you write all the main logic in the PLC program and transfer only the results to the sketch or rather put the logic on the Arduino sketch and transfer only information about the output status to the PLC. Especially that all the examples that can be found on the internet are made on sketches. After two days of tests and trials with various solutions, I came to the conclusion that writing logic in a PLC is definitely a better solution. Compyling is fast. Loading changes to the controller also runs without any problems. What's more, programs can be loaded via the Ethernet socket (no need to connect a USB cable), which can be a huge advantage in a distributed architecture. In addition, the preview of variable values along with all debugging is a huge advantage. So, I myself stay with PLC programs and I will only transfer ready (properly processed and converted) states of inputs and outputs to the sketches. And it's only in one controller that will act as a master collecting information from my entire distributed structure. We'll see what comes out.

[@JakobSagatowski]

@@marekfioka5660 Thank you for this information and research Marek, highly appreciated! I'll make sure to incorporate this information into my next video. I think a good usecase in that case would be to use the sketches for the IoT-stuff (using for example MQTT), and the PLC-program for everything else. Cheers!

[@danielfernandes7374]

Make a video for us programming in LADDER with OPTA please

[@JakobSagatowski]

No ladder for me!

[@michaelwilt729]

Está bueno el PLC de Arduino

[@52Freaky]

Have you tried Opta with LCD display.

[@singhisking5554]

Great

[@jonaslindbard7239]

Would love if you could play with the rs485 on the Opta and communicate with stuff.

[@JakobSagatowski]

That's a great idea Jonas!

[@Maxconfalo]

Thanks for the video. I'm not happy for the Arduino does not have i2C communication.

[@nimms166]

Arduino PLC IDE is very similar to Eliwell/Schneider M172 HVAC software. Wonder how they are connected. hmm

[@classicalmusic2425]

Can you please explain if there are two memory chips that both PLC programming and C/C++ code can be run on it simultaneously? Is it possible to use PLC programming and connect to an electrical panel for load management and use C/C++ to read the load amperages using HomeAssisstant for example? Or to command the Opta Finder to close or open a contactor or relay? Thanks.

[@mrman880]

26:30

[@mysterymanu6009]

Can we extend the I/Os using I/O cards like other PLCs? Can someone throw some light on this?

[@williamkennedy3837]

Will I be able to connect MAX 6675 temperature module to this. MAX 6675 runs on 3.3 to 5 volts.

[@jeroenwerkbrouck2069]

Hi Jakob, is there an expansion possibility for inputs and outputs?

[@JakobSagatowski]

Not yet, but I think Arduino will most likely release it as there is an extension port on it!

[@jeroenwerkbrouck2069]

Hi @@JakobSagatowski, thanks for your answer. Because with just 4 outputs you can't control much of a machine

[@DTownEngineering]

Does anyone know how to fix the issue of "Error during build: exec: "/bin/arm-none-eabi-g++": file does not exist" I get this when I try to initialize the Opta PLC Wifi. Been in touch with Arduino support and they know nothing. Please help.

[@user-mo8sf5vt5f]

Do you try to switch off and switch on the device ? The information about source code, change with NO CODE !?! Why ?

[@samiraj8953]

Try to play with ladder programming

[@duchai1946]

Please do a TC3 Vision tutorial 🥲, I really need ur help

[@roysutton3722]

Having had Arduino's for 13 years I have yet to connect to anything. I see COM13 but initial download does not work. I suppose it will go in the bin again and I will get back to working with STM8, STM32, PIC10F200, LPC800.

[@assadon397]

can I simulate plc opta virtuel ,because I don't have plc in reak life

[@user-rz6wu3eo8k]

18:35, don't be so hard on yourself! 🤣👍

[@invisiblealex007]

does it support BACNet? P.S. this programming environment looks like Schneider (the same menus, the same interface, structures, I guess, the same pain in ass for setting up ALL variables to ModBus). That's bad... I suppose, with the save disadvantages, because Scheider's program glitches every time and freezes, the interface playing against you a much as it can (local variables, tracing...). If those guys decided to copy the most worse developing environment ever... It will be better to copy Distech instead (or Allen Bradley or Kinco), from my perspective.

[@bradjohnjohn]

Hi Jakob, can you tell me how did you discover refer to shared variables begins with PLCIn.xxxx

[@lucerocj]

While you don't think it's beneficial to go over the same information as your called out previous video, it now means I have to figure out what the differences are with different names and most likely will not exactly match up. Suggest you either make a non-device specific video reviewing this or just spend the extra 5 minutes going over the same information and create a new chapter for people to easily skip.

[@xavierr4508]

Please stop using global variables!

You shot him with his own gun 🤣