Stand alone counters

ready961

Member
R
Join Date
Jan 2003
Posts
78
Hello​
​
I need to build a counter to count bottles off a manufacturing line with photo sensor as an input and have the output shut off a machine when it reachs the desired amount. Does anyone know of a good source for a counter? I have only found them in Allied Electronics for about $200.​
 
Old Control Panel Guy's Advice

After 25 tears in designing and building control panels, I can offer advice to check out the following brands that I have used:

Durant at:
http://www.durant.com/f_cc.html

Automatic Timing & Control at:
http://www.flw.com/atc/atc.htm

Danaher Industrial Controls at:
http://www.dancon.com/index.sht

Any of these guys should offer a solution to your problem without needing a PLC or elaborate control system. Hope this helps. And remember, just like Sears does not "make" appliances (they get someone to build them and label it "Sears"), Allied, Radio Shack, and all of the other catalog guys don't "make" counters. Google your head off to find the direct source...

DISCLAIMER: I do not work for any of these companies. I just have used them in the past.
 
If you are talking about spending $200 then why not spend a bit extra and get a small PLC. You'll make the system a hell of a lot more versatile and also make it scaleable if the philosophy of the system changes in the future?

A small mitsi or S7-200 would be ideal for this.

Just a thought...
 
ready961 said:
I need to build a counter to count bottles off a manufacturing line with photo sensor as an input and have the output shut off a machine when it reachs the desired amount.
Click to expand...
Rod, I think the machine shuts off when the counter reaches the preset (setpoint).
 
Assuming that the application is as simple as described, I must disagree about using a small PLC for this. A counter can easily do the job with no additional hardware or software and just about anybody can then replace it should it ever fail.

In my opinion, there is certainly a lower limit to when a PLC should be used, and this application falls well below that limit.

Steve
 
Steve Etter said:
Assuming that the application is as simple as described, I must disagree about using a small PLC for this. A counter can easily do the job with no additional hardware or software and just about anybody can then replace it should it ever fail.

In my opinion, there is certainly a lower limit to when a PLC should be used, and this application falls well below that limit.
Click to expand...
If we're voting, I agree completely with Steve on the "Use a Counter NOT a PLC" issue. Other factors include this:

1) Does a PLC have a key or button to either allow an easy reset or to prevent a reset except by authorized parties? (No)
2) Does a PLC have a handy display of just the current accummulated count or just the preset? (No - but PLC's like A-B Pico's could be configured for this)
3) Can a "bad" PLC be swapped out with something in a "shelf" condition? (No, it must first be programmed...)

Buy the right counter for your application and you get by with just a counter. KISS (ahhhh, sweet simplicity)

I realize this is a PLC site, but what next? If someone needs two outputs to turn on when one input turns on, we tell 'em to use a PLC? They make things called "relays" for tasks that simple.
 
If we're voting, I agree completely with Steve on the "Use a Counter NOT a PLC" issue.
Click to expand...



Ah-come on, now. Why not buy a SLC or ControlLogix and gitterdone!

Seriously, I wonder if there's a PLC running the unit that sends bottles down the line (blow/injection molder or filler etc) and does the PLC have an HMI it could sent the count to?
 
Thanks everone, as alway you are very helpful.

I did think about using a small plc but realisticly it was a bit over board. I only need one input and one output.
 
Nothing yet. I hope to convince my boss to rebuild the main unit and add this feature into the machine using the main plc.
 
That's what I was curious about in my post...


Do you currently have an PLC/HMI on your unit? If so, you can install your sensor and use it's input to count.

We used to count up prior to a rejector and down to the same counter after the rejector. We would stop the filler if the counter got above a certain number, frequently clearing the counter to avoid accumulative values over long periods of time.
 
ready961 said:
Nothing yet. I hope to convince my boss to rebuild the main unit and add this feature into the machine using the main plc.
Click to expand...

That's definately the way to go. Personally, if you cant do that, I would still suggest a small PLC because it will provide "growing room" if you need to add an additional feature or two later on. You could use someting like a smart relay or a AD-DL05 from AutomationDirect.com for around $100.00.
 

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