Lost in PLC world, what should we buy?

kjella

Member
Join Date
Jul 2004
Location
Kvinesdal, Norway
Posts
3
Hi, im currently working on a project where we ned a plc to control the stream to sunbeds in a sunstudio. It should control from 5 to about 20 sunbeds (several sunstudios with different number of beds). We need a plc in each sunstudio, so we want a stable but not the most expensive ones on the marked.

If you also know a niceprice place to buy it, it would be very nice.

Thank you very much!


Regards,
Kjell André Hjelleset
 
AutomationDirect.com has representation in Norway. I have found tem to be the least expensive PLCs, with a variety of features and easy to use software. I'm not sure if the Norwegian tech support is as good as the US, but they are worth checking out.
 
I'm not going to recommend any particular brands but we did a study for a similar project here. We found that it was very cost effective to use a PLC with networked point I/O on a standard network like Ethernet, Interbus, DeviceNet, ProfiBus, etc... We checked with Wago, Phoenix, Weiland, and Allen-Bradley (I'm sure that there are lots of others) for I/O points.

One of the biggest cost issues was running multi-stranded cables back to a central location. Going the networked route gave use the benefit of one cable and a greatly reduced cost in I/O platform.

Good Luck,

(8{)} ( .)

(Yosi)
 
Norwegian suppliers

You didn't say anything about the PLC size: how many input/output, what type of I/O etc. (Or if you need video inputs... ;))

I guess you need a small size PLC?

Here are some brands that have small sized PLCs to a reasonable price (not ranked):

SAIA PCD -> http://www.mwa.no/Salg/PLS/PLSMain.htm

Omron -> http://www.europe.omron.com/NO_no/cor/iab/home/product_catalog/Control_Systems/

Telemecanique -> http://www.schneider-electric.no/

Unitronics -> http://www.tormatic.no/index.html
http://handel.tormatic.no/company.php3?nzf=1089823035&fid=230&id=5


In addition to the hardware cost you must also consider what the hardware can do (according to what you need) like: Number of I/O, I/O types, memory, communication, and so on.

The same with the programming software: Functionallity, programming languages, learning curve, price.

I don't think support is any problem with the suppliers mentioned above.
 
Sincerely the words did not do felt some to me. It would be able to clear would be what the project?
For PLC with lithe points, good alternative, I possessed I module of NET www.crouzet.com (Have GRAFCET)
 
Um lugar aonde os povos vão tan seus corpos sob as lâmpadas ultravioletas.

(Uh, no I don't speak Portuguese. I use the method prefered by Ford Prefect.)
 
If you mean "whats the problem?", here is the case. First of all stream = power :)

This company have several sunstudios with several sunbeds. Each bed has its own coin input. The company wants to centralize (in each studio) this payment from a terminal (a computer) that every customer either drags a creditcard, og insert money into. From a graphical interface on a touchscreen you will then be able to choose which bed you want, and for how long you want to be in the sunbed. This terminal should then send some signal that the sunbed be turned on (just like plugging it into a socket), and after the time has run out, it cuts the power.

Im looking for the best solution to do this...
 
Last edited:
Actually this is a vending application. This is out of my field, but From my expierance of accepting credit cards it seems your going to need a PC with IP and a credit card terminal etc.. That will be interfaced to the sunbeds, or tanning booths in the US. Youll need the PC to do all the accounting record keeping and act as a cash regester of sorts. The PC will control the sunbeds through a PLC, or some other digital output such as Opto-22 modules etc..

It seems to me that turning off and on the beds wont be such a big issue. However the Credit Card, Coin, Cash accounting and other stuff like that is the major component of the project here. I'm sure there are companies who specalize in the vending aspect of this application, and there might be a off the shelf system available.
 
i would buy wago as they have a 16 amp switch integrated in the plc
and you can use the plc as pc for the rest of your control
 
Is it similar to this?

Kjella,

Is it similar to this application that we did for washers and dryers?

http://www.entertron.com/einl/app4.htm

They didn't use a touch screen, but one could be used.

They use their own cards, which you would pay for in advance. Each card would provide you with so many uses. Once the uses were done, you would purchase a new card.

Our customer liked the fact that they had some additional advertising by supplying their own cards.

With the sun bed application, you could provide the option for either time based usage or count based usage.
 

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