lamaPLC - automation

array

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 13:37:52 +0000

Array An array is used to group data of the same type into blocks that can be easily addressed, i.e., indexed. Arrays can be 1-, 2-, or 3-dimensional, or even 6-dimensional. The following example illustrates the structure of 2- and 3-dimensional arrays:

bit_byte

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 17:59:01 +0000

Bit & Byte [Bit & Byte] The Bit is the simplest form; it's a signal that can be true or false, with its official English equivalents being “TRUE” or “FALSE,” or even simply 0 or 1. There is no 2 anymore because two is represented by 10 according to the rules of the binary number system, which in this case is not ten but one zero. To clearly distinguish this, we write numbers in the decimal number system

byte_word_type_variables

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:00:27 +0000

BYTE – WORD type variables There are plenty of variables in the world of automation. They differ in scope (size) and internal structure depending on their use. The simplest variable types have no internal structure, i.e., they can describe ones and zeros in different scopes:

char_type_variables

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 13:25:27 +0000

CHAR type variables CHAR (character) types are suitable for storing a single letter each. The original CHAR uses codes from the ancient ASCII character mapping table. This table contains a mix of 255 different characters (letters, numbers, control characters, graphic symbols). Its advantage is that it requires only 1 byte, but its disadvantage is that the character set is quite limited; for example, Hungarian or Chinese accented characters are mostly excluded.

data_type_coding

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 13:14:59 +0000

TIA Coding of data types The following table lists the coding of data types for the pointer: Hexadecimal codeData typeDescriptionB#16#00NILNull pointerB#16#01BOOLBitsB#16#02BYTEbytes, 8 bitsB#16#03CHAR8-bit charactersB#16#04WORD16-bit wordsB#16#05

data_type_limits

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 12:37:30 +0000

TIA Data type limits DecimalHexTIA data typeByteDescription18,446,744,073,709,551,615FFFF FFFF FFFF FFFF, 8The maximum unsigned 64 bit value (264 − 1)9,223,372,036,854,775,8077FFF FFFF FFFF FFFF8The maximum signed 64 bit value (263 − 1)

data_types

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 08:19:17 +0000

TIA Datatypes [TIA Portal datatypes] List of data types used by Simatic S7. The page contains the more modern TIA variable types as well as the earlier S7-classic types. There are four data types in: Boolean, Text, Numeric, and Date/Time. Each data type defines the format of information that can be entered into a data field and stored in your database. “DB” stands for DATA_BLOCK or the German term “Datenbaustein', indicating a data area. It can contain various data types permitted and defined by the specific PLC. The total size of all DBs is limited by the PLC's data capacity. Since the PLC isn't optimized for storing large data, we do not save images, music, files, or extensive text files within a DB. In the TIA-Portal, DBs are marked with a small blue barrel icon ( Just as “FF” is likely to represent the maximum of a given variable type, dead beef is a test value designation, a play on letters. The letters of the hexadecimal number system are a, b, c, d, e, f. #dead_beef contains all of them except c, so it is helpful for testing. The Windows calculator, switched to programmer mode, is very helpful for hex-dec-bin conversions. From this, it turns out that the value of

direct_indirect_addressing

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 17:24:51 +0000

Direct/indirect addressing Addressing methods are mostly tied to variable types, not areas, so the following procedures apply to both DB and Tag variables. Direct addressing Direct addressing in Simatic is typically symbolic addressing, meaning in the simplest case we correspond two variables of the same type to each other:

energymeter_udp

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:02:14 +0000

lamaPLC: energyMeter UDP (oldSchool project) Modbus communication is the oldest automation technology data exchange solution. It is old but well-proven, it fits into the old-school solutions. Modern energy meters quite often use Modbus communication, so if we want to monitor the energy consumption of our house with the simplest of such units. These measuring units typically use Modbus RTU communication, which in this solution is converted into Ethernet UDP telegrams by an Arduino unit. The bigg…

int_type_variables

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 13:09:03 +0000

INT type variables In the case of the INT, which is the integer type, the definition becomes slightly more complex in terms of formal constraints because of the introduction of the sign bit. This means that the highest-order bit of the variable's position, the first bit on the left, represents the sign: if it is “1”, the variable indicates a negative number, whereas if it is “0”, it indicates a positive one.

kks

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:03:17 +0000

KKS KKS identifier: KKS stands for the German Kraftwerk-Kennzeichensystem, which is the power plant identification system. This code is a structured, four-character identifier that designates components within a power plant (or any equipment), starting from the largest system down to the smallest. An example:

lama_duct_1

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 28 Sep 2025 20:37:20 +0000

LamaPLC: Duct controller for building automation

memory_area_code

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 13:16:02 +0000

TIA Coding of the memory area The following table lists the coding of the memory areas for the pointer: Hexadecimal codeAreaDescriptionB#16#80PI/OB#16#81IMemory area of inputsB#16#82QMemory area of outputsB#16#83MMemory area of bit memoryB#16#84DBX

memory_card

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:03:55 +0000

Simatic memory card [Simatic memory card] Memory cards are storage devices designed for the S7-1500/S7-1200 and LOGO series. These are special Windows-compatible SD cards designed for heavy use. The cards are available in a special format, the price is sky-high, and they are very easy to damage; never format them with Windows!

network_redundancy

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 13:34:46 +0000

Network redundancy Network redundancy refers to how our technological system behaves when a unit fails or a wire breaks. How fault-tolerant should the system be? Redundancy can be classified in various ways, and one of the easiest methods to evaluate it is to divide system solutions into four levels.

ob_db_fb_fc

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 20:08:28 +0000

OB, DB, FB, FC PLCs differ from PCs in several ways. Their structure and programming architecture are simpler and more straightforward. A key difference is that they lack a traditional file system; instead, they consist of four main components: Symbol

old_school_automation

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 13:34:47 +0000

Old School Automation Technologies come and go. Who remembers the solutions that were popular a few years ago that are now completely obsolete? And a relatively significant part of the solutions that are still considered extraordinary breakthroughs today will only be mentioned a few years later on the internet, after a long search. There is nothing wrong with this; this is the way of the world: development sweeps away a good part of the old solutions (apart from a few eternal survivors, but mo…

plc

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:14:46 +0000

PLC The first question that comes to mind is: What exactly is a PLC? Is it just a PC, a microcontroller, or a trendy but temporary device? It’s unlikely to categorize PLCs as modern, short-lived devices. The term PLC stands for programmable logic controller, and in German, it’s called SPS, short for speicherprogrammierbare Steuerung. In 1968, GM Hydramatic, the automatic transmission division of General Motors, sought a solution to replace fixed-wiring relay systems. Bedford Associates of Bed…

prolog

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 08:35:42 +0000

Prolog My name is Sandor Vamos. I was born in Hungary, have lived in Germany for approximately 20 years, and now hold German citizenship. I speak Hungarian, German, and English. I am over 50 years old and have about 25 years of experience in programming and designing industrial systems. I mainly design with the market leader in Europe,

real_type_variables

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 13:16:58 +0000

REAL type variables REAL type variables (REAL, LREAL, or floating-point numbers) are defined by the IEEE 754 (IEEE 754/1985 Floating Point Number Format) standard. This is a fairly complex type that, despite its intimidating complexity, is well-suited for storing fractional numbers.

s7_ard

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 21:42:13 +0000

lamaPLC: Simatic & Arduino [Simatic & Arduino]

s7_hw

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 21:30:55 +0000

Simatic HW basic / PLC Types The original S7 series debuted in the mid-1990s as a successor to the S5 line. The current generation (S7) was introduced between 2009 and 2013 to integrate with the TIA Portal. Siemens SIMATIC S7 controllers range from compact, entry-level units to high-performance modular systems designed for complex industrial automation. The S7-1200 and S7-1500 represent the current generation optimized for the TIA Portal, while the S7-300 and S7-400 are legacy modular systems.

s7_idx

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 14:40:59 +0000

Automation! - S7 index URL_nameNameDescriptionReadiness statusautomation:s7_varSimatic Variables/TypesVariables, types, addressing, pointer90 % automation:s7_hwSimatic HW basic / PLC TypesHW config, SW structure2 %automation:s7_modbusSimatic and ModbusSimatic S7 and Modbus communication1 %automation:s7_scl_commandsSimatic FunctionsStandard and system functions

s7_modbus

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 08:46:37 +0000

lamaPLC: Simatic and Modbus Introduction Certainly, I am aware that numerous descriptions of Modbus can be found online and in technical literature. As the oldest and most widely used industrial communication method, it serves as the backbone of industrial connectivity. While newer, more sophisticated communication protocols have emerged, Modbus remains prevalent. In fact, you might even encounter it on the first intergalactic spacecraft.

s7_scl_commands

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:35:18 +0000

LamaPLC: Simatic S7 SCL commands with examples [Simatic S7 SCL commands with examples] - The chapter is not finished yet. I am still working on the (black) Instructions without links. - Vamos 09.03.2026 Inside topics: * Simatic S7 SCL commands: Bit logic operations * Simatic S7 SCL commands: Trigonometric / math functions * Simatic S7 SCL commands: Timer / counter functions * Simatic S7 SCL commands: Conversions * Simatic S7 SCL commands: Move / memory operations * Simatic S7…

s7_var

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 13:36:09 +0000

Simatic variable types Bit & Byte [Bit & Byte] The Bit is the simplest form; it's a signal that can be true or false, with its official English equivalents being “TRUE” or “FALSE,” or even simply 0 or 1. There is no 2 anymore because two is represented by 10 according to the rules of the binary number system, which in this case is not ten but one zero. To clearly distinguish this, we write numbers in the decimal number system STRING also has two subtypes, just like CHAR. The old, “old-school” STRING, which describes the text with ASCII characters, and WSTRING, which uses WCHAR characters with two bytes per character. Both types are suitable for storing text, which can be extremely useful for communication, especially in HMI connections.

structure

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 13:35:15 +0000

Structure A structure is a way of organizing multiple variables, often of different types, into a group. For example, the characteristics of several devices, such as motors, can be described using the same data groups. Take an electric motor, for instance. Such a motor can have many technical parameters, but for simplicity, let's narrow down the range of these parameters.

tarhal

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:16:58 +0000

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time_type_variables

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 13:32:02 +0000

TIME type variables TIME types mainly serve for timing purposes. The most common type in programs is simple TIME, such as in connection with IEC timings, like this: [TIME example 1] These will be discussed later, but in the example above, the time (PT) is specified in TIME format, with 12 seconds written as

udp

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 13:34:55 +0000

UDP UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is a fast, lightweight internet protocol used for time-sensitive applications like video streaming and online gaming because it doesn't require a connection to be established first. While this makes it efficient, it also means that UDP is unreliable, does not guarantee packet delivery, and is more susceptible to data loss and attacks than protocols like TCP.

udt

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 13:34:47 +0000

UDT The structure of the UDT (User Defined Type) is identical to that of the type; you can create more complex variables from existing variables, structures, and their arrays. The key difference is that while a STRUCTURE is valid within a specific function (FB, FC, OB), a UDT is a universal type that must be defined in a separate library within the TIA Portal (