affordable HMI for cut to length machine?

I'm wanting to retrofit an old mechanical cut to length wire machine with a PLC and an encoder on the feed wheels. I'm also wanting a simple user interface where an operator can punch in a quantity to cut, say 1000 pcs, and then a length to cut, like 26.25 inches etc.

I'm probably leaning towards Automation Direct PLC's, but I'm open. AD has several text/graphics screens, but I didn't see anything with a numeric keypad, which I think would be best for my application. I'm on a budget here, so I need to spend as little as possible.

Does anybody have any recommendations for a simple and affordable number pad and text screen interface? Thanks for your time.

Look back at AD Cmore touch screens. The small ones have a keypad option.

http://web5.automationdirect.com/adc/Shopping/Catalog/Operator_Interfaces/C-more_Micro-Graphic_Panels/C-more_Micro-Graphic_Panel_Keypad_Bezel_Options

you could use Keyence KV-P16, a PLC with a built-in HMI(text display). although without a number keypad, you could easily integrate apllications such as inputing variables. if you really are on a tight budget you could use the Visual KV version, these are PLCs that can display the devices' no. (timers, counters data memory etc.), its set values and actual values.

snaggletto said:

I'm wanting to retrofit an old mechanical cut to length wire machine with a PLC and an encoder on the feed wheels. I'm also wanting a simple user interface where an operator can punch in a quantity to cut, say 1000 pcs, and then a length to cut, like 26.25 inches etc.

I'm probably leaning towards Automation Direct PLC's, but I'm open. AD has several text/graphics screens, but I didn't see anything with a numeric keypad, which I think would be best for my application. I'm on a budget here, so I need to spend as little as possible.

Does anybody have any recommendations for a simple and affordable number pad and text screen interface? Thanks for your time.

Click to expand...

Look at Horner XLe series HMI/PLC combo.
Comes with a high speed input build in for your encoder pulses and also has numeric keys. About $300.00
Horner XLt is an actual touch screen and PLC. About $500.00

You may look into EZ Automation they have a HMI/PLC combo. i have NOT used one yet , but I am still looking for that just right job with the small I/O count to use it on.

Does your system use a positive stop to set the trim the lenght? I have never setup a system that just trimmed of an encoder feedback. It would be nice to hear how your project turns out.

Snaggletto,

Wow, do we have a deal for you! How about a control system for a wire cutting machine, complete with the Automation Direct PLC that you wanted, and a WORKING, TESTED PROGRAM? Go here:

http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=11015

I didn't see anything [Automation Direct] with a numeric keypad,

Click to expand...

Paula Stephens used the Automation Direct EZ-220P EZ-Text Keypad Panel. It does have a numeric keypad.

Thanks for the input, I've contacted Horner about their PLC/HMI, and I'm going to look at EZautomation. I didn't catch the keypad option for the AD screen, so that's yet another option.

Thanks for pointing me out to the previous cut to length app. I've actually read through that thread a long time ago and forgot. That will be a huge help.

As for my application, we are cutting braided stainless steel cable. It has a plastic covering, and is VERY flexible. Way to flimsy to run up against any kind of stop. Overall length tolerance is NOT critical at all, +/- .250" would not affect the usuability of the lanyard at all. However, for consistency, and matierial usuage, I would like to hold +/- .06" or ~1/16" or better. Really, pretty simple, and very few I/O's. The problem is that nobody else at work would know how to deal with the PLC itself, so the HMI is crucial to making the machine user friendly.

The Automation Direct C-More has a numeric entry button that pops up a keypad on the screen, it works very nicely. It can be hidden behind a numeric display that can show the current setpoint and when you press it the numeric entry screen pops up.

The Automation Direct EZ-Text panels have been discontinued, but the Optimate 1500 is a suitable replacement. It is about $231, has 15-button keypad, 2 lines x 20 characters of text (in which input variables can be entered or outputs displayed), 3 LED indicators, and 5 function pushbuttons.

http://web5.automationdirect.com/adc/Shopping/Catalog/Operator_Interfaces/Optimate_Text_Panels/Optimate_1000_Series/OP-1500