Rockwell Automation is the company, and Allen-Bradley is its brand of controllers, I/O, drives and other hardware; in Vietnamese plants both names are used for the same equipment. This article explains how the two names are related and how the Allen-Bradley controller range is organised today, from Rockwell Automation's own pages and manuals: the current controller families from Micro800 to ControlLogix 5590, the software that programs each family, what ControlLogix 5580 and CompactLogix 5380 offer, and the lifecycle status of the older families still running in many plants. For the programming software in detail, see RSLogix 5000 and Studio 5000 Logix Designer; for older systems, see Upgrade paths for legacy Allen-Bradley systems.
1. Allen-Bradley and Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation's history page traces the brand back to 1903, when Stanton Allen and Lynde Bradley founded the Compression Rheostat Company, renamed the Allen-Bradley Company in 1909. Some milestones on the same page:
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1970 | Allen-Bradley pioneers the programmable logic controller |
| 1979 | Data Highway, the first plant-floor network |
| 1985 | Rockwell International acquires the Allen-Bradley Company |
| 1994 | a merger with ICOM creates Rockwell Software |
| 2001 | the company is renamed Rockwell Automation |
| 2007 | the PartnerNetwork programme begins |
2. The controller families today
Rockwell Automation's programmable controllers page (United States site) lists the families below; the grouping by size is ours:
| Group | Families on the page |
|---|---|
| Large | ControlLogix 5590, ControlLogix 5580, ControlLogix 5570, ControlLogix in-chassis compute modules, LogixEdge controllers, SoftLogix |
| Process and process safety | process controllers for PlantPAx (ControlLogix 5590 and 5580, CompactLogix 5380), Logix SIS |
| Compact | CompactLogix 5480, 5390, 5380 and 5370, SmartGuard 600, SLC 500 |
| Micro | Micro810, Micro820, Micro850, Micro870, Micro800 plug-in modules, MicroLogix 1400 |
The newest families on the page are ControlLogix 5590, which Rockwell Automation describes as a controller with embedded functional safety, expanded memory and faster scan times, and Logix SIS, a process safety system built on the same control and software infrastructure as the basic process control system and used with FLEX 5000 safety I/O. CompactLogix 5480 runs Windows 10 IoT Enterprise in parallel with the Logix control engine. SoftLogix 5800 version 23 has entered Active Mature status, with no further feature or operating system updates planned.
3. Which software programs which controller
| Controllers | Programming software |
|---|---|
| ControlLogix, CompactLogix and GuardLogix (Logix 5000 family) | Studio 5000 Logix Designer, version 21 or later; RSLogix 5000 up to version 20 |
| Micro800 | Connected Components Workbench, and the newer FactoryTalk Design Workbench |
| MicroLogix | RSLogix 500 |
Rockwell Automation's manuals state that the Logix Designer application is the rebranding of RSLogix 5000 software, and refer to RSLogix 5000 for version 20 and earlier and to Studio 5000 Logix Designer for version 21 and later. CompactLogix 5370 uses the same programming software, network protocol and information capabilities as all Logix controllers. In our experience this is what lets a program, a tag structure or an Add-On Instruction move between a CompactLogix and a ControlLogix. FactoryTalk Logix Echo emulates ControlLogix 5590 and 5580, GuardLogix 5580, CompactLogix 5380 and Compact GuardLogix 5380 controllers for testing without hardware.
4. ControlLogix 5580 and CompactLogix 5380 side by side
The two Logix families most used in new projects share the Studio 5000 environment and an embedded 1 Gb EtherNet/IP port, but differ in size:
| Aspect | ControlLogix 5580 | CompactLogix 5380 |
|---|---|---|
| Typical use | multi-discipline control: discrete, motion, process and safety | smart machines and equipment |
| User memory | up to 40 MB | 0.6 to 10 MB |
| Integrated motion | up to 100 axes | up to 32 axes |
| I/O | up to 128,000 digital and 4,000 analog points | up to 31 local Compact 5000 (5069) I/O modules |
| Network features | redundancy with the same firmware as standard controllers | dual IP addresses, Device Level Ring and linear topologies |
| Safety variant | GuardLogix 5580 | Compact GuardLogix 5380 |
Both families have process controllers for PlantPAx. For security, the CompactLogix 5380 page lists CIP Security from Studio 5000 version 34, change detection, logging and role-based access control, while the ControlLogix 5580 page lists centralised authentication and access control. ControlLogix 5580 also comes in extreme-temperature versions rated for -25 to +70 °C.
5. Lifecycle status of the families still running in plants
Rockwell Automation publishes a lifecycle status for each catalogue number. The product pages read for this article show:
| Family, example catalogue number | Lifecycle status | What Rockwell Automation says |
|---|---|---|
| ControlLogix 5580, |
Active | — |
| CompactLogix 5380, |
Active | — |
| ControlLogix 5570, |
Active Mature | — |
| CompactLogix 5370 L3, |
Active Mature | some 5370 controllers are discontinued; migrate to CompactLogix 5380 |
| MicroLogix 1400, |
Active Mature | — |
| ControlLogix 5560, |
Discontinued | — |
| CompactLogix |
Discontinued | — |
| CompactLogix |
Discontinued | migrate to CompactLogix or Compact GuardLogix 5380 |
| SLC 500, |
Discontinued | some SLC 500 bulletin numbers are discontinued; migrate to CompactLogix 5380 |
| Discontinued | — | |
| MicroLogix 1100 (1763) and 1200 (1762) | Discontinued | migrate to Micro800 |
| Micro830, |
Discontinued since 31 December 2023 | migrate to Micro820 |
| Micro870, |
Discontinued since 31 July 2023 | migrate to Micro870 L70E with Connected Components Workbench 20.01 or later |
| GuardPLC, Bulletin 1753 | Discontinued | the 1753 GuardPLC safety I/O page states the modules are discontinued; GuardPLC 1600 and 1800 no longer appear in the current controller list |
In Rockwell Automation's terms, an Active Mature product remains available and supported while a newer family exists. Our articles on CompactLogix
6. Beyond the controller
The controller sits in a wider Rockwell Automation system: HMI on FactoryTalk View and FactoryTalk Optix, thin clients on ThinManager, process control on PlantPAx, and drives and motion on PowerFlex and Kinetix. Each has its own article on this site: FactoryTalk View SE, ME and Optix, ThinManager, PlantPAx and DCS, and ICSS in oil and gas.
What we check first on an Allen-Bradley system
These are TDL's working habits, not Rockwell Automation requirements:
- The controller catalogue number and firmware revision, which decide the RSLogix 5000 or Studio 5000 version needed to go online.
- The lifecycle status of each controller and I/O family, and what spares the plant holds.
- The network: EtherNet/IP topology, Device Level Ring, and any older ControlNet, DeviceNet or Data Highway Plus segments.
- A current backup of the program before any change.
How TDL approaches it
TDL Industrial Automation is a system integrator partner of Rockwell Automation in Vietnam and has worked on Allen-Bradley systems since 2011. Recent work includes the ControlLogix 5580 body maker upgrade at Crown Da Nang, the auxiliary boiler control system commissioning at Golden Pass LNG, and the ammonia compressor control replacement at the Phu My Fertilizer Plant. More on this service: Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley) system integrator in Vietnam.
Frequently asked questions
Is Allen-Bradley the same as Rockwell Automation?
Allen-Bradley is a brand of Rockwell Automation. Rockwell International acquired the Allen-Bradley Company in 1985, and the company was renamed Rockwell Automation in 2001.
Which software programs a CompactLogix or ControlLogix?
Studio 5000 Logix Designer from version 21, and RSLogix 5000 up to version 20. Micro800 uses Connected Components Workbench or FactoryTalk Design Workbench, and MicroLogix uses RSLogix 500.
Is GuardPLC still sold?
No. Rockwell Automation's page for Bulletin 1753 GuardPLC safety I/O states that the modules are discontinued, and GuardPLC controllers no longer appear in its current controller list.
Is ControlLogix 5570 discontinued?
Not on the product pages read on 13 November 2026:
What replaces MicroLogix 1100 and 1200?
Rockwell Automation lists them as discontinued and encourages migration to the Micro800 platform.
Sources
- Rockwell Automation, Our history and Programmable controllers
- Rockwell Automation, ControlLogix 5590, ControlLogix 5580, CompactLogix 5380 and Logix SIS
- Rockwell Automation, family pages for CompactLogix 5370, CompactLogix 1768, SLC 500, MicroLogix 1100, Micro830, Micro870, SoftLogix and 1753 GuardPLC safety I/O
- Rockwell Automation, product pages for
1756-L83E ,1756-L75 ,1756-L65 ,1769-L33ER ,1769-L35E ,1747-L552 ,1785-L80E ,5069-L320ER ,1756-L73 ,1756-L61 ,1769-L32E ,1768-L43 and1766-L32BWA ; MicroLogix 1200 family page; Product lifecycle status definitions - Rockwell Automation, Studio 5000 Logix Designer, FactoryTalk Design Workbench and FactoryTalk Logix Echo
- Rockwell Automation,
1756-UM001Q-EN-P , ControlLogix 5570 and 5560 Controllers User Manual, December 2024 — p. 10, 12 - Rockwell Automation,
1756-PM005M-EN-P , Logix 5000 Controllers Tasks, Programs, and Routines, September 2025 — p. 6
Read 13 November 2026. This article paraphrases the sources and does not quote them; read the original documents before designing or working on a system.