FANUC America has released ROBOGUIDE Version 10 (revision E), an update to its robot simulation software that adds built-in connectivity to Rockwell Automation's FactoryTalk Logix Echo virtual PLC environment. The release eliminates the need for middleware or custom development between virtual robot controllers and virtual PLC logic during pre-installation commissioning.
The core change is how the two systems communicate. Engineers previously needed multiple manual steps to configure that connection. The revision introduces an interface that automatically assigns unique IPv4 aliases, handles network configuration for EtherNet/IP communications, and adds support for Logix Echo's handshake protocol to tighten synchronization between the virtual robot and PLC.
What's new for integrators is the scope of what can now be simulated together: robot motion, PLC logic, and network communication, all before any hardware ships to the floor. For first-of-its-kind automation cells where physical testing carries significant cost and schedule risk, that combination moves debugging earlier in the project.
Within FANUC, the Paint and Sealing business has already applied virtual commissioning to evaluate electrical systems, verify wiring schemes, and validate robot paths before installation. System integrators working with end customers can use the same environment to collaborate earlier in the design phase and, in some cases, diagnose faults in the virtual model while production continues uninterrupted on the physical line.
Access to the integration requires valid licenses for both ROBOGUIDE and FactoryTalk Logix Echo, and no additional software layer sits between them. ROBOGUIDE Version 10 is a 64-bit application with VR playback support via Oculus and Steam VR hardware, though the Logix Echo connectivity lands specifically in revision E of that release.
