Bruce99
Member
The managers are looking at installing a cardlock for the chip and sawdust trucks. They have asked if there is something I could install on our PLCs that would do the same job. Here is the available info I have. We have control logix PLCs close to the bins. There is devicenet, controlnet and ethernet to these processors. There is also PLC5 DH+ also close enough to run Blue hose to another PLC. The truck driver is to have a card or some device he has to plug into to get access to the bin controls. We talked extensively about code numbers and pass codes and management is not interested in this. They want a card or similar device the truck driver is solely responsible for. Three companies buy our sawdust and chips, I have mentioned that there is little use installing card lock unless the receiving company also installs the system and the two work together. I asked about bar coding the trailers and the trucking firm said no. They transport for so many other sawmills that this is not practicle unless I can talk the others into adapting the same security system. We need the following info, The trailer number, the driver ID, the company he intends to deliver to and who he works for. To make things interesting there are two trucking firms delivering our sawdust and chips to three companies. Here is what I was thinking ..... I can use 16 bits of an input module and this would represent a file on the PLC. It would include driver ID and company that receives the product. If the driver delivers to a different company he needs two cards. When he inserts the card and is given clearence, a digital camera records the truck ID and plate. How can I interface a plastic card to an input card? Is there a supplier for hotel room card lock systems and are they a digital output? Programming software? I also thought about USB drives. They are dirt cheap and we just need to install a computer networked to the business LAN. When the driver installs his drive into the USB port a script in VB downloads the info on the drive and compares it to an access database. If the driver is on file the access is allowed. If he/she delivers to more than one company, this is also on the drive. A simple comparison to the receiver by weekly reports is all that is required. The smart card idea seems OK and the card lock will work. Just how the heck do I interface these into the PLCs that I have? Is there a simpler method? OK now everyone is wondering why.... well it is common to have two or three trucks go missing in a six month period. The price of chips and the low price of lumber, we are chipping whole logs now. One truck load of chips is about 6K US. This is not a lot to most industry but to us it is life or death.If things do not turn soon in the US there may not be a next year for us. There is lots of work here but this is kinda like home for me.This site helped in the Beehive burner program I made, I hope there somone out there who can help me now. Thanks everyone for your time. Bruce..