Rare PLC, unusual programming, scratchpad memory 4 bit Adicon/Philips PC20

I found a very interesting and rare PLC with unusual programming.
I bought a German PLC book called “Methoden der Programmierung von SPS” (1989) publisher Vogel. It mainly consists of different ways of programming the typical functions (logical connective, counters, sequential function, mode selection, usability, network) for 5 German PLCs (Adicon, AEG, Festo 404, Klöckner-Moeller 316 and Siemens S5).

I know Modicon but never heard of Adicon. And a web search almost finds nothing. They must have been active at least between 1986 and 1990 in Altdorf (Bavaria near Nürnberg). The PLCs (PC 106, 140, 146, 606) used the Philips PCC COM protocol and PDS5G software (G for graphical) and so I checked for Philips PLCs which are also quite rare.

The Philips PC20 (later by Nyquist, then Bosch Rexroth) has the same programming. The PLC is a typical rack, cards with brown front. The Programming unit PU 20 looking like this.

philipspu20photo

Behind the lid on left are 2 ZIF sockets for EEPROMS. The 7 segment display also show up letters. Verify looks like UFy. Usually not all LEDs are used (for commands or outputs).

The memory is a scratchpad memory with bytes consisting of 4 bits. Each bit can be addresses separately (on page 0).

scatchpadmemory

The programming looking like this. There are 32 instructions. Like 00 for NOP, 01 TRIGGER, 16 AND, 17 AND NOT etc. And an operand with 4 digits, some have a 5th one, separated by a dot for bits. Programs can be saved on audio cassettes or TTY (RS449/423). Interesting also a JMP for start-up cycle only.

0000 JSAT     6  // Jump to line 6 in first cycle
0001 RET 
0002 LSTIO 0031  // I/O subroutine (start-up)
..
0006 JSAT     2  // Jump to I/O subroutine (start-up)
0007 ORNT ..     // First program part        
..
1912 AND   0000.1

An ASM output looks like this (17= AND NOT)

#0044 00        [ NOP ]
#0045 17  017.2 [ANDNT]
#0046 01  102.0 [TRIG ]
#0047 13 0023   [FTCHD]

A link to manuals here (incl. a listing of a cpp disassembler)

Manual philips PLC | Page 2 | PLCS.net - Interactive Q & A

A manual in Dutch of the DOS software

Philips PLC MC30 | Page 2 | PLCS.net - Interactive Q & A

There are some more Philips PLCs. The PMC 1000 (Ferromatik) has funny looking long red rubber switches (I think L-R) sticking out of the card and many connectors on front (mainly for temperature sensors). I think used for injection moulding.

The book has some few photos (none of Adicon). Interesting: Festo Fluidic, a pneumatic paper tape reader, I never found before.