Introduction
CICON How To
Welcome to the How To Guide for CICON, CIMON’s programming software for PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers). This guide is designed to help both new and experienced users quickly understand the essential features of CICON and begin developing, editing, and managing PLC programs with confidence.
Whether you're setting up a new project from scratch or exploring more advanced configuration tools, this guide walks you through each key function step-by-step.
What This Guide Covers
The How To Guide is organized into three main sections: Introduction, Basics, and Advanced. Each section provides focused, easy-to-follow instructions for critical tasks within CICON.
Introduction
Start here if you're new to CICON. This section introduces the software interface and outlines some helpful default settings and memory allocation tips to streamline your workflow.
- Useful Settings – Optimize your environment before you start programming.
- Memory Allocation – Understand how memory is assigned in your PLC and how to manage it effectively.
For more information on the user interface, refer to the CICON Components: Screen Configuration section of the Appendix.
Basics
This section covers the fundamental steps to get your first PLC project up and running. Ideal for first-time users or those needing a refresher on core features.
- Create Project / Program – Learn how to initialize and organize your project files.
- Enter Ladder Logic – Input and edit ladder diagrams, the primary programming method in CICON.
- Variable Editor – Define and manage your data registers and memory addresses.
- Connection Setup – Configure communication between your PC and the PLC.
- Download / Monitor / Online Edit – Push your logic to the PLC, monitor real-time behavior, and make live edits as needed.
Advanced
Once you're comfortable with the basics, dive into the advanced tools that help you refine and maintain your PLC systems.
- Project Properties / PLC Security / Program Password – Set access controls and change current properties of the project, such as CPU type.
- Upload Project from PLC – Recover or back up existing logic from a device.
- Cross Reference / Find and Replace / Bookmarks – Navigate complex projects with powerful search and reference tools.
- Copy Project – Duplicate or analyze projects, and verify builds before deployment.