National Instruments LabVIEW vs. Studio 5000

Most of the time, I am using LabVIEW to develop automated controls for lab-scale and pilot-scale systems. LabVIEW is great for its graphical programming interface, which is easy to learn and understand. The program also has a lot of built-in VIs to perform different complicated I/O, data processing, controls, and graphing tasks which are extremely useful and convenient to use. My only problem with LabVIEW is how hard it is to clean up and debug the program, due to its being a graphical interface. It is hard to search for specific variables when debugging, and some of the online debugging features don't function well in real-time.

Incentivized

As I said before, it's the only tool known to man capable of programming Rockwell PLC's, so if any colleague needed to program one I 100% would recommend it. So, this software is appropiate only when using Rockwell PLC's. As far as I know it would program any other brand.

Incentivized

• real-time data visualization
• implementation of modern control strategies
• integration of languages such as python and c++, for various applications
• data acquisition through microcontroller cards

Incentivized

• The tag system it uses for programming makes it easier than other softwares
• Programming Rockwell PLC's
• The management of the ladder code is easier

Incentivized

• Barrier to entry is large
• Install times are crazy
• Just in time help needs to be more apparent (most students do not know about the examples section)

• Price, it's realy expensive
• Sometimes configuring communication with other devices can be hard
• I'd like the ability to programm with languages such as C or Python

Incentivized

We have used MatLab's data acquisition toolbox in the past which was not too bad either, especially if you prefer the text-based programming format. The only problem with that was that the library of compatible data acquisition hardware was somewhat limited and if your hardware is not from one of the more popular brands like NI there is a good possibility that you won't be able to use it with your MatLab script. LAstly, the amount of supporting material (tutorials, etc.) is very limited as it is not a very popular tool

Incentivized

Studio 5000 is a good product. Compared to Omrom's CX-Programmer feels more advanced and with more functions, altough that depends on the PLC being programmed. I choose Studio 5000 because there are no other options when programming Rockwell PLC's

Incentivized

• We are able to save money by writing our own programs instead of outsourcing.
• We recently bought a new force test stand and we are able to use LabVIEW to write a program that fits our needs exactly instead of making due with what came with the stand.
• When our customers ask us to do data acquisition, we know that we can always make a solution.

Incentivized

• Well, there is one customer that only uses Rockwells PLC's, so I could say that Studio 5000 is a must have and a good percent of the bussiness depends on it.

Incentivized