AB load cell cards

ASF

Lifetime Supporting Member
A
Join Date
Jun 2012
Location
Australia
Posts
3,921
Hi all,

I've been looking at some options for connecting load cells to an AB PLC. Most of the systems I've designed so far just use a load cell transmitter with a 4-20mA output, but I'm wondering if there's a card that will let me connect straight into the PLC. I know that AB don't make one, but I've come across these ones online, and seen one in the field. They look pretty good, especially the 1734 Point I/O version. One of those on an L16 compact logix processor would be a lot cheaper than a weight transmitter and an analog input card. My concern is that it's only good for 350 ohms, and 90% of the systems I work on have three or four 350 ohm load cells into a summing box, so my equivalent resistance is down around 87 ohms.

Does anyone know of, or has anyone used, a card that could handle that sort of resistance?
 
I have done one application with a Hardy Instruments card (HI 1769-WS) and I could not be more pleased with the outcome. I connected four load cells on an inline moving case weigher and used the HI summing board with built in "integrated technician" features so you could literally set up each corner of the scale from the touch screen when it was all said and done.

I was able to increase throughput from about 22 cases per minute to about 28 and make use of the built in features to make calibration pretty much unnecessary after the initial set up.

I think I spent around US $2000 on those parts plus a short piece of their high dollar cable about 5 years ago. It seemed a little pricey but performance was the goal, and the time it saved me with the development made it well worth the money.
 
Last edited:
Hmm, that looks good. I'll have a look at that one! Anyone used any others?

I'd still love to find one on the Point I/O platform, purely because the L16 series of Compact Logix controllers is the cheapest, but as you say, "the time saved with the development makes it well worth the money".
 
Second vote for the Hardy module. When used with Hardy C2 Loadcells, there are all kinds of functionality built in, but they work fine with regular load cells as well.
We put those in in several places, and are slowly changing out from the standard load cells to the C2's. Our scales love 'em.
 
Hardy does look good. I've fired off an email to see how I can get my mitts on one in Australia but didn't hear anything overnight.

I did get a response from Helm though - they have a power module as well which can drive up to eight 350 ohm load cells, so if I added one of them in to the rack I'd have my point I/O solution.

If I remember, once (or if) this project gets off the ground I'll report back with what I used and how it went :)
 
I have a lot of Hardy and Helm Items in Use here.

We use Helm primarily for tonnage measurement on our 600 ton presses.

We use Hardy for fill / weigh applications. Hardy is best for scales and weight measurements IMHO.

If you can use all Hardy stuff the integrated technician is really nice.

We used to have a lot of rice Lake weigh controllers with tons of options and they were difficult to lock down to a point that operators could not chnage setings and mess things up.

The Hardy modues we use have no interface other than the PLC so now we have panelviews and if maintenene is logged in they get a lot of options and more for engineering.

The operators prety much just have a zero, tare,and Batch reset button and a weight display. It made work orders decrease by 40% on those processes.
 
How did you find the helm gear? As far as ease of configuration, reliability, etc. Do you have any of the 1734 series stuff, or is it chassis based gear?
 
ASF said:
How did you find the helm gear? As far as ease of configuration, reliability, etc. Do you have any of the 1734 series stuff, or is it chassis based gear?
Click to expand...

All mine is SLC, Compact and Contrologix Chasis based. Have not used any of the Point IO modules yet.
 
In a former life I lived in a stamping plant for 8 years 2 to 1100 ton. I then went to a forging shop. We had upsetters. Upto 3000 ton 10". Helm and AMCI card all over those upsetters.
 
JeffKiper said:
In a former life I lived in a stamping plant for 8 years 2 to 1100 ton. I then went to a forging shop. We had upsetters. Upto 3000 ton 10". Helm and AMCI card all over those upsetters.
Click to expand...

Yea we have 14 press lines here total. it's a full time job just dealing with those. We have verson in our Russia, China, Mexico, India plants also.
 
I used to love doing those heavy presses. Pulling cranks, 20 k Lbs. flywheels, leveling a 10' long slide with opposing cranks. I thought I was going to go to work doing heavy rebuilds and Automation. We did a few robot press tending applications.
 

Similar Topics

B
Looking for complete Load Cell / Roller units to lay in conveyor sections
Good Afternoon, I’m limited with a skilled maintenance staff to design and build Load Cell , Rollers , etc. for conveyor sections . Do...
Replies
11
Views
661
TWS
T
B
Does Rockwell Automation have an Input that will receive an input from a Load Cell
Good Afternoon , Does Rockwell Automation have an Input Card , maybe in the 1734 series , or CompactLogix series that will receive signals...
2
Replies
15
Views
849
busarider29
busarider29
S
Looking for IS Barrier for a Load Cell Signals
Can someone recommend an Intrinsically safe barrier that can be used with an "ANALOG" load cell on a weigh scale? Load Cell is rated to be in a...
Replies
4
Views
1,376
ASF
A
C
Vibrator Speed Control using Load Cell weight
Hello All, I have two bags of two different types of peanuts hanging on a load cell above two separate feeders. I am using Studio 5000 and would...
2 3 4
Replies
45
Views
8,842
parky
P
J
Load cell monitoring
We have a web converting process that involves the web passing over rollers with load cells on each end. This provides a tension readout from an...
Replies
5
Views
2,493
kamenges
K
Back
Top Bottom