New to PLC's-Drastically need help!!

Good Day Everyone,
I'm currently building a quality control device and I need help with choosing the correct PLC. Briefly this is what I'm trying to accomplish. I'm cutting 1.000" x 1.000" strips of metal out on a CNC machine and sometimes they get bowed. The bow tolerance is .040" so the total tolerance is 1.040". The pieces will be placed on a solid platform (not a coverer) that passes through a laser. When the pieces are out of tolerance a door opens and the rejected pieces drop into a bin.
I will be using a through beam laser emitter,and a through beam laser receiver. The pneumatic solenoid will activate one cylinder. I also have a 24vdc power supply.

I'm in need of help wiring everything up to the PLC. I have no experience but I figured this cant be that hard since I'm only trying to activate one solenoid. I need the PLC to hold the current on the solenoid for about 3 seconds, so the cylinder can open up and close. I'm using automationdirect.com for parts. If anyone out there can point me in the direction of what PLC I should buy that would be great.
Thanks,
Brian

I guess that (given the information you've posted) this will have to depend on your programming experience.

If your background is more on the electrical side then any PLC will work, depending on the precisión needed in terms of scan cycle you'll be able even to use a programable realy like a zelio or a logo, but if that is not enough then any normal PLC will be OK.

If your background is more from the programming world, then a Beckhoff or a B&R system will fit your needs better.

Good luck!

1. I also have a 24vdc power supply.
2. I need the PLC to hold the current on the solenoid for about 3 seconds, so the cylinder can open up and close.
3. I'm using AutomationDirect.com for parts.

Click to expand...

Almost all of the Automation Direct PLC models with 24 Volt DC Inputs and Outputs could do this job (assuming that your laser detector has a digital ON/OFF output, not an analog signal output). Look at the Click models, such as the CO-00DD1-D and the C0-00DD2-D for $69 each.

If your laser detector instead has an analog output, then look at the Click C0-02DD1-D, more expensive at $109, but has 2 analog inputs and 2 analog outputs, as well as 4 digital inputs and 4 digital outputs.

http://www.automationdirect.com

i would use the principle of a gauge:
put the strip between two rollers, one steady mounted and one on the end of a beam with a spring. on the end of the beam is a plate that gives the boundaries like 0.96 and 1.04. if the strip is good the laser is covered, if not the laser is on either end of the plate.
when exchanging the plate you can adjust for tolerances.
take with one piston the strip out of a vertical magazine, when the laser is on the reject piston should be on for 3 seconds, after that time the magazine piston should retract and give next strip.