Bus Conversion using a PLC - need help & advice

Here is a project I need some help on:

I have a motorcoach I'm converting into a home (you can view pics at www.WonderlandBus.com).

I want to use a PLC to control many functions of the bus. For example, I want to be able to press a button on a touchscreen and have the door to the bus open.

I have been planning on using Tri-Logic's PLC (any comments on that choice?) because my tech guy is familiar with ladder logic and that PLC seems easy for him to program in ladder logic.

From what I see, Tri-Logic's PLC can interact with the touchscreen via a java applet. Has anyone done this? I don't really understand exactly how to hook the PLC into the touchscreen using java. Ideally the applet would be running on the touchscreen, and when a button is pressed on the applet, it would send some sort of signal to the Tri-Logic to run the ladder logic necessary to open the door.

Am i going in the right general direction with this? Does anyone have any comments? I could really use some guidance. - DROdio.

What exactly do you want to do with the PLC? Just courious.

If you arnt set up on the brand etc.. Check AutomationDirect.com. They sell a variaty of touch screens here . And a neet little PLC here .

I wouldn't say I'm on the cutting edge of the PLC world but, I've never heard of Tri_Logic. Along that line -

Although it's a plus that you have someone to program for you, there's something to be said about choosing equipment that's popular. If you're far from home (hey, it's a motorcoach, right?) and something goes wrong, it would sure be nice to at least have the option of looking up someone local who knows something about your PLC, and may even be able to get parts if needed, to get things right again.

I won't tout a brand, just mentioning that obscure stuff is, well, obscure.

.02 rendered

The TriLogic should work just fine, I have several and for what you are doing they should work just fine.


Talk to Larry Wincester at:

http://www.pc-io.com


John

P.S. Brasil looked like fun, I wanna go on the next trip!