Large numeric displays

Hi all,

Got a customer that wants a large 4 digit numeric display so that an operator driving an excavator can see how much weight he's already loaded without having to get out. So I'm envisioning something brightly illuminated and about 300mm high. I'll need four of them in the end, and wondering if anyone has any suggestions?

Ideally - and this is probably asking way too much - they'd be ethernet-based so that I can just send them the number directly from the PLC (MicroLogix 1400) and have no discrepancy between the number on the operator's HMI and the number on the large display. But if that's not possible, then I'll just have to do 4-20mA and calibrate it up as best I can.

Has anyone seen anything like this?

Thanks!

Prescision Digital has some bright displays. If not Regular 7 segment display using an out to BCD command. Would take a few extra outputs but definitely doable.

Only 100mm tall but still may be an option

http://www.redlion.net/large-led-displays

Maybe a starting point:

http://sunshine.us.com/products/lottery-stripe

Maybe these...
http://www.exoramerica.com/webpage?ReadForm&wPageName=products&c=Marquees

We use a scale with a wireless connection to the main office and remote computer pads that the operators use. Works great. I'm at home and will try to get the info posted tomorrow if possible.

james

Uticor have some.
Minestite Technologies in Sydney resell them

Have you thought about putting a smaller display/control in the machine with the operator?
An iPad with scadamobile would not only provide a display but can also give the operator some control at a very reasonable price. Just a thought .

I used the 7" version of these on a recent project:

http://store.qkits.com/moreinfo.cfm/MXA004

They're true 7-segment displays, so they will require seven outputs per digit, eight if you want to use the decimal point. They're light-of-a-thousand-suns bright too; painful to look at bright. Definitely daylight readable. You'd have to of course figure out a mounting scheme, as they're PCB's with no housing.

I used an AutomationDirect DL-06, which has the SEG command; it reads a BCD register and properly formats it to a series of outputs. Does the MicroLogix have a similar command?


-rpoet

I have only used their little stuff, but Vorne Industries makes solid industrial stuff.

http://www.vorne.com/xl/xl400-lean-manufacturing-tool.htm

Thanks for the tips so far!

Jane - I can't find anything on precision digital's website that large - do you have a particular unit in mind?

Charles - a little small but plausible. I'll see if they think that would be big enough for them

Doug - that's exactly the sort of thing I'm after - any idea who sells displays of that size commercially? (instead of, as seems to be the case there, custom making them for certain industries)

Ndzied/Kellian - jackpot! That sort of thing would be perfect, although I'm sure it's not cheap. But it's a great option to be able to throw at them

James/Chelton - they don't want a display inside the excavator as it might not be the same excavator every day. And on this site, a tablet or mobile solution would not survive long - it'd be lost, smashed, or buried in a pile of concentrated lead powder within a month

rpoet - I think the ML1400 has a similar command, but...4 displays at 4 digits each, with 7 outputs per digit...that's 112 outputs and a huuuuuge multicore

How about one of these?

http://www.weintek.com/globalw/Product/Product_mTV.aspx

Just connect a standard outdoor TV and display a variable on it.

How about these:

http://www.stewartsigns.com/signs_led.php?code=x5MSN

Does it need to be discrete seven-segment digits?

Put 'large numeric display' into your search engine.

Large size displays with many interfaces (Profibus, Profinet, DeviceNet, Modbus, serial, parallel, analog, Ethernet TCP/IP, counting pulse, timer,)

http://www.sibert.co.uk/collections/siebert-displays/large-size-displays

Lcd TV + raspberry pi + advanced HMI placed in a panel.