PLC Reviews. And a comparison chart.

Hi.

I think that Phil should axe reviews section, or fix it for good.
My reviews (and many others) have disappeared, and there are several other problems.
A shame really, a brilliant idea, but what use is it if it does not work.

Not the same as PLC reviews, but I have compiled a chart over PLCs on the market. You can use it if you feel like it.
Excel sheet comparing PLCs on the market in 2007.
edit: You have to select "save" and then "open" when you start the download.

Notice: As I obviously havent had the chance to actually work with the majority of the mentioned PLCs there may well be some glaring errors in the chart.
I will offer to go back and correct any major error in the chart of you should fall over one.

Chart looks great.
One thing that may be an useful is an expansion of this to document the recent development history of the products. That way folks could see an upgrade path both vertically within the same manufacturer and horizontally to comparable products from other vendors.
Maybe go back a generation or two. That way you could include products that are no longer made like TI.

As we all know theres plenty of old stuff out there and half the time its a battle just figuring out who made it and what software you need to talk to it.
I can help with this if you like

I like the chart. It would be nice to have something like that on line in a wikipedia style format, where everyone can add to it.

I'm sure I can host something either web based or FTP.

Anyone have any kind of preference or suggestions?

Wikipedia could be good idea. However, I dont feel like taking the initiative on this one. I used the better half on a day to make the chart, and that is as much effort I can muster at the moment.

Wikipedia already has a PLC entry:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programmable_logic_controller

Its pretty generic. I was thinking more of an interactive web page or hosted file.
I dont mind hosting & administrating it as long as people can tell me what they would like to see and helping me out with brands and lines I have no experience of (Mitsubishi seems popular here and I've never even seen one!).

SLC_Integrator said:

(Mitsubishi seems popular here and I've never even seen one!).

Click to expand...

I'll get shot down but in my humble opinion you are not missing a lot!

I had to check but I can do a Wiki, may set it up in the next few days to see how it all works and how I can display the info to be editable.

JesperMP said:

I think that Phil should axe reviews section, or fix it for good.

Click to expand...

Hi,
Sorry for the temporary inconvenience.

"fix it for good" is nice in theory but 'for good' is a mighty long time... How about if I fix it 'again'. I'm a programmer by necessity not training so please go easy on me.

(edit: as of now all is back to normal in the reviews area...)

Please also continue to let me know in the future if you see a problem on the site. I will certainly address the issue.

Enjoy,

wiki style??

Hi Folks,

That is a cool idea. I started doing something similar a while ago but gave up in the end. See it here

If you folks are willing to help supply/expand the data(as JesperMP did) I'm happy to post it in whatever format is agreeable to all.
But... a wikipedia style is a headache from a maintenance view. The reason is when you allow the world to post... the world posts and that's not necessarily good. I can speak from the experience of the reviews section, jobs section and guestbook area. It becomes a constant SPAM battle... and I mean constant

How about run of the mill HTML pages by manufacturer as above or the spreadsheet JesperMP put in the downloads area or something else... besides a Wiki.

Enjoy,

I wonder? Is there a way to setup a Wiki and just allow certain people to access? This would be a new area for me too but it seems like the easiest way to get multiple contributors.

rsdoran said:

I wonder? Is there a way to setup a Wiki and just allow certain people to access? This would be a new area for me too but it seems like the easiest way to get multiple contributors.

Click to expand...

Hi Ron,

Yes, I believe you can.
In the end though it will be ~5-10 people contributing seriously if access has to be granted. It's also more flexible/customizable when you have control over the layout... as opposed to a canned template. A single spreadsheet could hold the data (like the JesperMP version) until finalized for publication on the site.

Any feedback on the old example in the link I posted above? Seems like a realistic format with more data/columns needed.

Enjoy,

Phil Melore said:

Any feedback on the old example in the link I posted above? Seems like a realistic format with more data/columns needed.

Enjoy,

Click to expand...

I love it... a few more links would be great

AB, Mitubishi and several others know how to build a great PLCs but there websites suck!

It would be work, but I would help... if you could but link to there price list, manuals, FAQ's, the things that you could use and cut through some of the 'noise' on there websites that take some much time.

Just a thought...

Mark

geniusintraining said:

AB, Mitubishi and several others know how to build a great PLCs but there websites suck!

Click to expand...

i'm not sure i follow... why did you mention those two...?

i agree that most manufacturers have next to impossible website (not just PLC makers, there are many more) but AB website is not too bad - and if you ask me, Mitsubishi USA has the most functional and user friendly website - by long shot...

maybe it would be good idea to create index an rate them. everyone will have somewhat different experience but it would be interesting to see how the products services (and websites) are rated by people who rely on this type of resources.

for example i usually find websites of European companies to be below average (just a rule of thumb). the only exceptions i can think of at the moment are Festo and Baumer. most others would have trouble finding their own products or even categories (siemens, pilz, alphagear, weidmuller, sick, SEW/eurodrive...) or generate datasheets that are barely usable (phoenix contact...) etc.

north american companies are often not better but they will at least try to cooperate and send you what ever they have, even if imcomplete. if you are in a pinch they are also more likely to respond to user needs and try to get you out of jam and rush orders for example (I don't recall seeing such effort from European or Japaneese company for example).

Japaneese companies are most likely to make improvement based on user feedback. maybe they won't make it happen right away but they don't forget about it and they do make changes.

just an opinion...

I think that adding a couple of rows with the relevant websites is a good idea. Maybe a "main website" row, and an "additional website(s)" row with a short comment per additional website why it is in the list.

Just post the "golden links", and I will add them to the chart.

Phil's chart looks impressing, but who will take on the task of assembling the information and making sure that it is correct ?
And with so much detail, the chart will very quick be outdated as new PLC types are launched.
And, using images that originates from the brands website or printed material can be a problem, regardles that it is used for that brand's own good.