RSLogix Micro Starter Lite with RSLogix Emulate 500

Building and simulating ladder logic PLC programs is entirely free. This guide will walk you through the simple steps to download, install, and use the RSLogix Micro Starter Lite and the RSLogix Emulate 500, letting you test your PLC programs without spending a dime.

RSLogix Micro Starter Lite from Rockwell Automation is a top choice for beginners, not just because it’s free, but also because it’s user-friendly. I always recommend it in my ladder logic tutorials as it’s the perfect starting point for diving into PLC programming.

The highlight is RSLogix Emulate 500, a PLC simulator that lets you test ladder logic right on your computer. This means you can start learning ladder logic programming without the need to purchase a PLC, saving you both time and money.

Follow my guide to download and install the free version of RSLogix with the Emulator 500.

Don’t forget to check out my reviews of online PLC training courses. I rate courses where you can learn everything about PLC programming with RSLogix from Allen Bradley.

Download and Install

Before diving into RSLogix Micro with the simulator, there’s a simple setup involving three software downloads from Rockwell Automation. Remember to include RSLinx Lite, as it‘s crucial for connecting with the simulator (Emulate 500).

These 4 steps will guide you to download and install the software you need:

1. Download the latest version of RSLogix Micro Starter Lite

Rockwell Automation has a website where you can download the RSLogix Micro Starter Lite. Go to the website listed below and saerch for RSLogix Micro:

Allen-Bradley Download Page

The image below will show you where the download link is:

Allen-Bradley Download Page for RSLOGIX Micro Starter Lite

2. Download RSLinx Lite

The next thing you have to do is to download RSLinx Lite. It is a piece of software that is used to connect to the simulator. You can find the download link on the same page as RSLogix Micro Starter Lite. Check the image below to see where the download link is placed on the page:

Download RSLogix Linx Lite.

3. Download RSLogix Emulate 500

Last thing you want to download is the simulator called RSLogix Emulate 500. It is a little more complicated to download the Emulate 500 than the two others. But all you need to do is to follow steps below:

First you need to go to this website:

RSLogix Emulate 500 Download Page

On that page you first have to search for “emulate” in the Product Search field. Then you click on RSLogix Emulate 500 and select the latest version. Just follow the animation below if you’re in doubt:

Find RSLogix Emulate 500 in Download Center.

After this you scroll down the page and click on the red Downloads button:

Select RSLogix Emulate 500 to download.

This will send you to a series of pages where you just have to click on either a button or an icon. On the first page you just have to click on the small icon:

Click on the small icon to continue.

Then on the second page you click the Download Cart:

Click on Download Cart.

Now, you have to choose between two options. Managed or direct download. Direct Download works almost everytime, so choose that one:

Choose Direct Download to get RSLogix Emulate 500.

At last you will get to a page where you will see a link to download RSLogix Emulate 500:

RSLogix Emulate 500 Download Link for installation file.

4. Install The Software

At last it’s time to install the software on your computer. You should install the software in this order:

1. RSLinx Lite
2. RSLogix Micro Starter Lite
3. RSLogic Emulate 500

It might work if you install the 3 in a different order, but I will not promise that.

The installation process is fairly simple. Just open the files you’ve downloaded and start the installation. The only thing you need to specify during the installation process is the directory where you want the software to be.

What’s Next?

Once you’ve got all three software packages from Rockwell Automation set up, you’re all set to explore. The next step is learning how to kickstart and adjust the simulator. Soon, you’ll be crafting your own ladder logic programs and testing them using the RSLogix Emulate 500.

PLCdev.com has written a great small guide on how you configure the RSLogix, so you can start program and simulate ladder logic.

Please, comment below if this guide helped you with RSLogix. If you have any problems with downloading or installing the software, feel free to write below.