Allen-Bradley and Rockwell technical reference: PLC-5 to ControlLogix, on one page.
Controller families, software, the files to send us, lifecycle facts and Rockwell’s official documentation, in one place.
- Controllers
- PLC-5 to ControlLogix
- Software
- RSLogix 5, 500, Studio 5000
- Networks
- DH+, DeviceNet, EtherNet/IP
Hardware and software
Families at a glance.
Status is only what the manufacturer says, with the source beside it. For a specific part, check its number in the manufacturer’s lifecycle tool.
| Family | What it is | Software | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLC-5 (1785) and 1771 I/O | Chassis-based controller | RSLogix 5 | Rockwell announced end of life for the remaining PLC-5 processors in 2017, and stopped selling new RSLogix 5 activations after Dec 31, 2025. Source: Rockwell |
| SLC 500 (1747) and 1746 I/O | Modular controller | RSLogix 500 | Rockwell lists the SLC 5/01, 5/02 and 5/03 8K controllers as discontinued and points new systems to CompactLogix 5380. Source: Rockwell |
| MicroLogix 1000 to 1500 | Small controllers | RSLogix 500 / RSLogix Micro | Varies by model; for example, the MicroLogix 1100 16-point (1763-L16BWA) was discontinued Apr 30, 2022. Source: Rockwell |
| ControlLogix (1756) | Chassis-based Logix controller, including 5580 | RSLogix 5000 (v20 and earlier) / Studio 5000 Logix Designer (v21 and later) | Current platform. |
| CompactLogix (1769, 5069) | 5370, 5380 and 5480 controllers | RSLogix 5000 / Studio 5000 Logix Designer | Current platform. |
| GuardLogix | Safety controllers (ControlLogix and CompactLogix) | Studio 5000 Logix Designer | Current platform. |
| Micro800 | Micro810 to Micro870 | Connected Components Workbench | Current platform. |
| HMI | PanelView Standard, PanelView Plus 6 and 7, PanelView 5000, FactoryTalk View SE stations | PanelBuilder32, FactoryTalk View ME and SE, View Designer | Mixed. Check the catalog number. |
| Drives and motion | PowerFlex 4, 40, 525, 753, 755; Kinetix 5500, 5700, 6500 | Configured in Logix Designer or Connected Components Workbench | Mixed. Check the catalog number. |
Before you send an RFQ
What to send us.
| Software or system | Send | How |
|---|---|---|
| RSLogix 5 | The program file (.RSP) | Save from RSLogix 5, or upload it from the PLC first. |
| RSLogix 500 | The program file (.RSS) | Save from RSLogix 500, or upload it from the PLC first. |
| Logix (RSLogix 5000 / Studio 5000) | The project (.ACD), or an .L5X export | Tell us the controller firmware revision. |
| FactoryTalk View ME / SE | The application archive (.APA); for ME, the runtime (.MER) too | Application Manager > Archive. |
| PanelBuilder32 | The application file (.PBA) | For PanelView Standard terminals. |
| Connected Components Workbench | The project archive | For Micro800 and some drives. |
From the floor
Worth knowing first.
Firmware and software must match
Logix Designer opens a project only in the major revision that matches the controller firmware. Keep that version installed, or plan a firmware update.
Upload before anything else
The program in a running PLC-5 or SLC 500 is the one that is right. Upload it and save it before any change.
Count CIP connections
An older CompactLogix runs out of connections before it runs out of scan. HMIs, drives, messages and laptops browsing the network each take some.
Migrating off PLC-5 or SLC 500
Conversion tools translate most ladder, but block transfers, addressing and messaging change on Logix. See the PLC-5 / SLC 500 migration page.
Official documentation
Straight from the manufacturer.
These open the live source, so you always get the current revision. Manufacturer manuals are copyrighted, so we link to them rather than copy them.
- Literature Library rockwellautomation.com
- Product Compatibility and Download Center compatibility.rockwellautomation.com
- Product Lifecycle Search rockwellautomation.com
- Technical Documentation Center rockwellautomation.com
- RSLogix 5 end of life rockwellautomation.com
- SLC 500 controllers and migration rockwellautomation.com
Field notes
Answered on The Floor.
- 1769 analog input — 4–20 reads 3.9 mA after a lightning weekend
- Produced/consumed vs MSG for two Logix racks across a Stratix
- MSG to a remote CompactLogix — timeout only when the HMI is on that screen
- PLC-5 on DH+ still running a line — ENET-to-DH+ or bite the ControlLogix bullet?
- Kinetix 5700 following error on a hemming roller after a weekend power hit
- RSLinx Classic sees the EN2T, Studio 5000 does not
- PanelView 5500 vs 5310 for a new CompactLogix skid
- 15-year-old Logix with no comments — do you comment in place or wrap and walk away?
Allen-Bradley work on your line
Send it to us.
The files above, the symptom and the outage window. Planning a move off old hardware? See PLC-5 / SLC 500 to ControlLogix migration.