CimQuest INGEAR (www.ingeardrivers.com), which publishes runtime-free software development solutions for several industrial applications, is proud to announce the release of Visual Studio.NET class libraries to be used with Allen-Bradley ControlLogix and CompactLogix programmable automation controllers (PACs) (www.ab.com).

INGEAR NET.LOGIX version 3.0 software can be used by those who write automation and control applications in Visual Studio C# or Visual Basic.NET to communicate with Allen-Bradley controllers, design data acquisition applications and custom communications, and deploy them on several machines, without the need to pay additional license fees.

“The better the information plant personnel have regarding operations, the greater their ability to manage costs, output, quality and ultimately — profitability. Some of the most valuable data lies within the programmable logic controllers (PLCs) that automate assembly lines. Manufacturers typically deploy PLCs machine-by-machine, so accessing that data can be a real challenge. This new set of class libraries provides anyone who knows Visual Basic.NET or Visual Studio C# everything they need to communicate with some of the world’s most popular Allen-Bradley controllers,” said Chuck Karwoski, head of CimQuest INGEAR.

NET.LOGIX 3.0 has several advanced features, including a new PeerMessage class for Unsolicited Messages, which waits idle in a passive state to allow the Allen-Bradley controller to send data through MSG instructions. Upon receiving communication, the PeerMessage class sends a notification event with information for the user application to process it immediately. The PeerMessage class is designed to receive MSG instructions from CompactLogix, ControlLogix, ControlLogix Gateway, MicroLogix, as well as PLC-5E and SLC 5/05 family of controllers.

NET.LOGIX 3.0 also features the DTEncoding class, which helps read and write Pre-Defined Types (PDT’s) and User Defined Types (UDT’s) as objects with or without the need to read or write every atomic member individually.