In this chapter, we explored the FBD origins in systems engineering and introduced the basic concepts of IEC FBD programming. We learned how to create FBDs by dragging and dropping elements into a sheet in a routine. The way Logix compiles IEC languages down to bytecode was also explored in this chapter.
We also learned how to wire input and output references to function block pins and how to identify digital and analog connections and monitor their values online. We now understand how to read and write Function Block, and we can apply this knowledge to Rockwell products or products from other industrial automation vendors who follow the IEC standards.
In the next chapter, we will introduce another IEC language, called Structured Text Programming, and its use in the Logix family.