DS6 How Soon

[PLCGuy]

What is the status of the new cpu and DS6? I see Automation Direct has come out with another system. Kinda nice, it is a tag based system. Bought one, not that crazy about it. I hope DS6 keeps the stage programming and things we are familar with. How many systems do we need? The DL series works very good for us. I would like to stay with the DS software.

[BobO]

We are pedaling as fast as possible...<sigh>

Hardware is stable and ridiculously fast. We are currently working through the last of the architecturally significant bits now, specifically, finalizing the way high level devices like comm ports, counter channels, and motion axis get presented to the program.

Our view of the world is more like Tinker Toys...rather than have super smart boxes like P3000...we prefer to have smaller, simpler boxes that can easily be stacked to create complexity. A major part of that philosophy involved the creation of more object-like (in an OO sense) devices that work with instructions, rather than have the whole thing be memory based as in the past.

And yes, it does support a simplified Stage for sequencing, as well as Tasks and Programs for modularity.

How soon? ASAP. I was trying like crazy to make it happen by the end of this year, but gut says first quarter.

PLCGuy...you have a PM.

[PLCGuy]

I hope my reply went through.

[Controls Guy]

What is the status of the new cpu and DS6? I see Automation Direct has come out with another system. Kinda nice, it is a tag based system. Bought one, not that crazy about it. I hope DS6 keeps the stage programming and things we are familar with. How many systems do we need? The DL series works very good for us. I would like to stay with the DS software.

From my perspective and experience, tag based systems have their issues.  Much more important are user defined data types and functions with call and return parameters.  If those can be implemented using a table type memory structure (not exactly like falling out of a tree, I grant you), tag basis buys you nothing additional to compensate for its drawbacks.