Did you know that Mattec has thousands of MIUs installed that extract data directly from machine controllers (PLCs). Most MIUs even allow you to combine PLC interfaces with a combination of analog and digital inputs for a powerful process monitoring system. When it comes to PLC interfaces, Mattec is the industry leader.

What Is A "Host Interface"

A "host interface" is simply an interface that the PLC provides that permits external systems such as ProHelp® EPM to extract data from the PLC. In many cases, the PLC's "host interface" is an optional feature for the PLC.

PLCs that provide a "host interface" generally fall into two categories:

• Traditional PLC host interfaces that have a serial (RS-232 or RS-485) protocol. The communication protocol is almost always PLC-specific (although the same protocol is frequently re-used by different PLC types from the same manufacturer.)


• Ethernet-based PLC host interfaces. Although this sounds like the "magic bullet" of standardization, it often is not. These interfaces often require PLC-specific implementations.

There have been various attempts to create standards that would, in concept, allow a vendor like Mattec to create a single PLC interface that works for the vast multitude of PLCs. SPI, Euromap 63, OPC (OLE for Process Controls), and other standards fall into this category. The reality, however, is that these standards often have been poorly implemented and/or not well-accepted.

Fortunately, Mattec has been willing to take on this problem for you. Over the last 25 years, we have created more than 50 different PLC interfaces that allow MIUs to extract data directly from a wide variety of PLCs.

Interfaces That Mattec Has Implemented

Mattec has implemented interfaces for the following Ethernet-based PLC host interfaces:

• Husky


• Euromap 63 - Krauss Maffei


• Euromap 63 - Engel


• Milacron eXtreem NT


• Milacron Mosaic

Mattec has implemented interfaces for the following serial PLC host interfaces:

• Allen Bradley DF1


• BC Maco 8000


• Buhl PPC 90


• Camac ACT


• Camac Vista XTL/VSXM


• Camac XTA/XTC/VLC/VEL


• Demag NC4


• Engel EC88/CC90.CC100


• Engel EC88/CC90 - 96


• Ferromatik


• GE Fanuc


• Gefran Electronica


• Generic Printer (1)


• HPM CMD 90


• Inoex Saveomat


• Inoex Saveomat 93


• Klockner FMT


• Klockner MPC-80


• Krauss Maffei MC3


• Krauss Maffei MC4


• MAC 90


• Maruka Toyo


• Milacron 486


• Milacron Roboshot


• Mitsubishi MAC-VI


• Modbus


• Moog Mopac 22


• Moog Mopac MP


• Netstal


• Maco 8000


• Nissei


• Nissei 8000


• Nissei 8300 FT-10


• Nissei 9000G


• SCI Scoremaster


• Siemens 505


• Siemens AS511


• Siemens CPU944 (C3964R)


• Siemens Demag


• Sumitomo SHI


• Toshiba EX100


• Toshiba V10


• Unilog 4000B


• Van Dorn 4500


• Van Dorn CRTC


• Zumbach USYS10

1 - The Generic Printer interface is an interface that may apply to several different types of PLCs.