Arduino PLC Starter Kit
Plug into the future of industrial automation with the PLC Starter Kit, designed to bridge between theory and practice, closing the gap in current PLC education and preparing students for real-world challenges.
Overview
Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) technology is vital for industrial automation, but gaps still exist between current PLC education and industry. To cultivate a robust industrial workforce, Arduino introduces a dedicated educational kit - Arduino PLC Starter Kit.
With this kit, you get 20+ hours of lessons with the Explore PLC course. Your students can learn about Programmable Logic Controllers, Modbus RS-485 communications, and integration with industrial simulated systems, among other comprehensive topics.
There’s also support for five PLC programming languages, which means you can program the kit effortlessly using the Arduino PLC IDE. This user-friendly environment simplifies PLC programming for both you and your students. Choose from any of the five programming languages defined by the IEC 61131-3 standard (Ladder, Functional Block Diagram, Structured Text, Sequential Function Chart, or Instruction List) to swiftly code PLC applications or port existing ones to Arduino Opta.
Additionally, the Arduino Opta WiFi can be programmed and integrated into an industrial automation system with our powerful IDE 2. The Arduino IDE 2 is a huge improvement on our classic IDE, with increased performance, improved user interface, and many new features, such as autocompletion, a built-in debugger and syncing sketches with Cloud.
Cloud-ready hardware
The PLC Starter Kit integrates seamlessly with Arduino Cloud services for IoT projects, enabling remote control functionalities for both classroom and real-world scenarios. This is our simplest and low-code way to get started with connected projects.
All hardware provided with the kit is also fully documented in our Arduino Docs page, where hundreds of tutorials, datasheets, guides and technical documentation are published.
Key benefits include:
- Pro industrial automation with reliability and power for complex projects
- Learning content that aligns with the industrial automation curriculum
- Programming that is easy, approachable, and efficient
- Dive straight into practical applications with Arduino's signature ease-of-use, flexibility, and a vast library of software
Course: Explore PLC
With 20 hours of projects and many more tutorials, you have everything you need to teach programmable logic control in your classroom.
Projects include getting started, an introduction to the software, PLC history, communication protocols, digital input simulator learning, networks, and counting - all accessed through one easy-to-use portal connected to the Arduino Cloud.
Need help?
Check the Arduino Forum for questions about the Arduino Language, or how to make your own Projects with Arduino. You can also find out more about Arduino Cloud for Schools here.
If you need any help with your product, please get in touch with the official Arduino User Support as explained in our Contact Us page.
Tech specs
Arduino Opta WiFi |
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Arduino DIN Simul8 |
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Arduino DIN Celsius |
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Other |
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Programming languages |
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Conformities
Resources for Safety and Products
Manufacturer Information
The production information includes the address and related details of the product manufacturer.
Arduino S.r.l.
Via Andrea Appiani, 25
Monza, MB, IT, 20900
https://www.arduino.cc/
Responsible Person in the EU
An EU-based economic operator who ensures the product's compliance with the required regulations.
Arduino S.r.l.
Via Andrea Appiani, 25
Monza, MB, IT, 20900
Phone: +39 0113157477
Email: support@arduino.cc
Documentation
Arduino Opta WiFi
Pinout Diagram
Download the full Pinout diagram as PDF here.
Arduino DIN Simul8
Arduino DIN Celsius
Get Inspired
Makers have long asked the question “why bother with an expensive PLC when I can just use an Arduino?” The answer comes down to the priorities and needs of industrial clients. In a factory automation setting, the client will prioritize durability, reliability, and serviceability over the one-time purchase price of the device itself. But to prove that Arduino’s professional turnkey solutions are just as easy to use as their developer-focused educational counterparts, Jeremy Cook leveraged an Arduino Opta micro PLC to build a drum machine. This isn’t any old drum machine that plays sound samples or synthesized notes, but rather a robotic drum machine that makes noise by banging on stuff like a true percussion instrument. Cook could have built this with any Arduino board and a few relays, but instead chose to implement the Opta and new Opta Digital Expansion. That is robust enough for serious commercial and industrial applications, but is still simple to program with the familiar Arduino IDE. Programmers can also use conventional PLC languages if they prefer. In this case, Cook made noise with relays and solenoids. The Opta has four built-in relays and Cook’s sketch flips one of them to make a sound analogous to a hi-hat. Cook added an Arduino Pro Opta Ext D1608S module with its solid-state relays for the other two “drums.” One of those fires a solenoid that taps a small hand drum (the kick drum sound), while the other controls a solenoid that hits a power supply enclosure (the snare sound). Together, those three sounds can cover the basics of a drum track. Cook’s sketch is a drum sequencer program that stores each sound sequence as array, looping through them until turned off. An Opta may be overkill for a project like this one, but this does a great job of demonstrating the ease at which an Arduino user can transition to professional PLC work.