What's the best way forwards now...

Davek0974

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Join Date
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Location
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Having almost finished my first rebuild to replace useless SigmaTek plc's 🍻, I am faced with two or three more to do but need to very careful to keep the budget as low as possible.

The first one allowed me to re-use an AB SLC503 unit and PanelView300 I had removed from a previous test rig, with the addition of a stepper drive card it was good to go for the new project - end result was a very cost effective job.

Now, I still have 3 output and 2 input modules for the SLC range on the bench but no more panelviews and only a 10 station SLC chassis.

Bear in mind I have just got a new license for RSLogix500 and a 1746-UIC converter to allow me to talk to panelviews from WinXP.

So, what is the best thing for the next project?

1-
Sell off the spare modules and chassis on eBay
Buy a new model PLC that can still talk RSLogix500

2-
Buy a PSU, CPU, PanelView and 7 slot chassis and go SLC again
Use my existing software

3-
Sell off the spare modules and chassis on eBay
Buy a new model PLC and display along with new software

I think option 1 is my current favourite but have no idea what PLC's will talk with RSLogix500, so will be looking that up.

Is there a better option????

Cost is the first parameter.

The PLC needs to have 1 axis motion control, I have managed to use step/direction nicely but the previous PLC was using 0-10v so that's a possible, I would prefer step/direction though. It also needs 32 digital inputs and 16 transistor outputs minimum.
 
If cost is the major issue, abandon the SLC platform completely (Others will surely disagree) :)

For the IO size you spec, take a look at the Siemens S7-1200 family.
Why replace old hardware with more old hardware.
 
If it were me, I would choose the Allen-Bradley MicroLogix 1100 controller.

RSLogix 500 software supports the whole MicroLogix family of controllers. The free version supports the MicroLogix 1100 so if you had to equip customer sites with editing software it wouldn't cost more.

The 1763-L16BBB model has one serial port and one Ethernet port, with 10 DC inputs, 2 low-resolution analog voltage inputs, 2 relay outputs and 4 DC outputs.

It supports up to 4 expansion modules, and DC digital I/O comes in 8, 16, and 32 point densities.

The built-in I/O has some special fast-function circuitry. You can configure the first two of those DC outputs to be pulse-train outputs or PWM outputs, which are intended for basic stepper control functions.

I prefer the Red Lion G3 family of HMIs for use with SLC and MicroLogix, compared to Allen-Bradley's own HMI products. Considering the whole DH485 SNAFU you just went through, having USB and Ethernet are going to be a huge step up in ease of use.
 
Mike_RH said:
If cost is the major issue, abandon the SLC platform completely (Others will surely disagree) :)

For the IO size you spec, take a look at the Siemens S7-1200 family.
Why replace old hardware with more old hardware.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I was just doubting my own suggestion of sticking with SLC, it's old and overkill for this app.

Will browse the Siemens unit.
 
Ken Roach said:
If it were me, I would choose the Allen-Bradley MicroLogix 1100 controller.

RSLogix 500 software supports the whole MicroLogix family of controllers. The free version supports the MicroLogix 1100 so if you had to equip customer sites with editing software it wouldn't cost more.

The 1763-L16BBB model has one serial port and one Ethernet port, with 10 DC inputs, 2 low-resolution analog voltage inputs, 2 relay outputs and 4 DC outputs.

It supports up to 4 expansion modules, and DC digital I/O comes in 8, 16, and 32 point densities.

The built-in I/O has some special fast-function circuitry. You can configure the first two of those DC outputs to be pulse-train outputs or PWM outputs, which are intended for basic stepper control functions.

I prefer the Red Lion G3 family of HMIs for use with SLC and MicroLogix, compared to Allen-Bradley's own HMI products. Considering the whole DH485 SNAFU you just went through, having USB and Ethernet are going to be a huge step up in ease of use.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I downloaded the pdf's for the micro logic range, will do some reading tomorrow but they do look good, plus the software is the same and I'm fairly comfortable using that so that's a plus.

Hopefully come up with a package over the weekend.

Dave
 
Ken Roach said:
If it were me, I would choose the Allen-Bradley MicroLogix 1100 controller.

RSLogix 500 software supports the whole MicroLogix family of controllers. The free version supports the MicroLogix 1100 so if you had to equip customer sites with editing software it wouldn't cost more.

The 1763-L16BBB model has one serial port and one Ethernet port, with 10 DC inputs, 2 low-resolution analog voltage inputs, 2 relay outputs and 4 DC outputs.

It supports up to 4 expansion modules, and DC digital I/O comes in 8, 16, and 32 point densities.

The built-in I/O has some special fast-function circuitry. You can configure the first two of those DC outputs to be pulse-train outputs or PWM outputs, which are intended for basic stepper control functions.

I prefer the Red Lion G3 family of HMIs for use with SLC and MicroLogix, compared to Allen-Bradley's own HMI products. Considering the whole DH485 SNAFU you just went through, having USB and Ethernet are going to be a huge step up in ease of use.
Click to expand...

Yes. Do this. The Red Lion G3 is the PV300 secret fantasy superhero. It can even do DH485, so you could go back and replace that obsolete thing you just put in when it breaks one day. Software is free and ultra powerful too. There may be a handful of "huh?" moments with Crimson 3.0 but just come back here and we'll get you through it.
 
OkiePC said:
Yes. Do this. The Red Lion G3 is the PV300 secret fantasy superhero. It can even do DH485, so you could go back and replace that obsolete thing you just put in when it breaks one day. Software is free and ultra powerful too. There may be a handful of "huh?" moments with Crimson 3.0 but just come back here and we'll get you through it.
Click to expand...

Thanks, will look that up
 
Looks like the micrologix 1100 plus a 32ch input and 16ch output module will do it. The G3 panel looks good too, total is around ÂŁ1200 for the parts.

While I'm thinking on it, is it possible someone could enlighten me on how to use the pulse outputs as stepper drivers? The last one was easy - you simply set the speed, acceleration and deceleration values then it was a simple matter of throwing distance values at it. It then outputs the correct pulses to give an acceleration/move/deceleration curve and a direction signal on the 2nd channel.

Using a pulse train output, how would this be implemented in code?

I guess the direction is easy as its either high or low.

Both signals need to be 5v logic levels too.

Can the 1100 do this?
 
osmanmom said:
how you want to synchronize the speed of the stamping machine and the cutter?
Click to expand...

The process is simpler than that, this is a single step process so it's Print-Move-Cut-Print-Move-Cut and so on, it's not like the usual rotary label process.

I just need to command the servo drive to move a fixed amount, I am used to using step/direction and this drive has that along with many other options 0-10v etc but I have not used that so have no idea how to implement it from the PLC.

The drive is closed loop so is very accurate, I just need to tell it to move xxx amount.
 

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