PDP-14 Programmable Controller Product Summary

This document provides a comprehensive overview of the Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) PDP-14, a programmable solid-state controller designed for industrial environments.

Key features and concepts covered include:

• System Overview: The PDP-14 is an integrated, modular system that combines the reliability of solid-state electronics with the simplicity of relay-based control. It is designed to replace traditional electrical relay panels for controlling industrial machines.
• Components: The system is composed of input interface boxes (I-boxes), the programmed control unit, and output interface boxes (O-boxes), all utilizing standard 120V AC industrial signaling.
• Read-Only Memory (ROM): The heart of the controller is a user-specific "braid" of wires serving as nonvolatile ROM. This memory stores the control logic, which acts analogously to a relay ladder diagram but executes at much higher speeds.
• Programming: Users program the controller using Boolean equations. Software tools (BOOL-14 for translation and SIM-14 for simulation/debugging) allow users to develop and test control programs on a PDP-8 computer before finalizing the hardware ROM.
• Advantages: Compared to conventional relay systems, the PDP-14 offers superior reliability, faster operation, reduced physical space, lower long-term maintenance costs, and greater flexibility for retooling machines.
• Maintenance: The document outlines diagnostic procedures, including the use of test programs (TEST-14, VER-14) and module swapping, to isolate and resolve faults within the controller, the interface boxes, or the controlled machine.
• PDP-14/L: A smaller, less expandable version of the standard PDP-14 is also introduced, which shares the same software and diagnostic tools.