# SLMP PLC Setup

The SLMP Scanner connection supports the exchange of data between an Automation Controller and the vision system. This connection provides dedicated control and status channels that allow the Automation Controller to issue vision system commands through direct addressing of the control and status registers. In addition, the SLMP Scanner connection provides dedicated command channels for sending and receiving more advanced string commands that are not included in the control and status channels.

SLMP Scanner is a command/response-based protocol, which originates from the vision system, and the vision system must send read requests to the Mitsubishi Automation Controller at periodic intervals to determine if there are changes in the control bits. This process is called "polling," and defines the polling cycle.

In the Mitsubishi communication protocol, information from the vision system is combined into data blocks, which are then transferred between the vision system and the Automation Controller. Within this methodology, bit-type data is stored in bit registers in the Automation Controller and word-type data is stored in word registers in the Automation Controller. Due to this implementation, bit data is never combined with word data in a data block, which allows these data items to be addressed separately in the Automation Controller.