Needing Guru guidance for timing display

Hi I would like to know if you can suggest a solution to a problem.
I have a piece of machinery that is primarily pneumatic in its operation and as such it can be very difficult in controlling the speed of one of it's cylinders. It is normally set by adjusting the flow control while monitoring a stopwatch and monitoring the quality of the actual spray coming from the print head.
I would love to use a linear actuator but I can't.
I need a display or HMI / plc combo that can be programmed to simulate the use of a stopwatch using two proximity switches as the start stop reset.
all the while displaying the last cycle time in seconds. My idea is the operator / supervisors can walk by and see (while its running) if its within its .75 to 1.25 second pull back speed. The machine is heavily guarded and quite difficult to watch.

Please let me know if I have hope of finding something?

Bob

As long as you can get a start & stop signal from the machine, with already in situ sensors, or fit 2 of your own, you can get pretty much any PLC / HMI combo to display what the last cycle time was.

Is that what you are needing to do?

Welcome to the forum!

Any PLC on the market will do this - it's a pretty basic application. If it were me, I'd go for a Click Koyo and a C-More screen. Very cost effective, and the software is not only free but also pretty intuitive and user friendly.

There are PLC/HMI all-in-one units out there that might work out slightly cheaper, but I've never met one that didn't make me want to destroy it with fire . For the little bit of extra cash, a standalone PLC and HMI is well worth it, IMO.

you cylinder CANNOT be adjusted this way.
Ambient temperature, air line moisture, trash in lines, Adjusting the flow controls, and even adjusting the main air regulator are all reasons why it won't work.

when you say, spray of the print head, what are you trying to accomplish?

you could try using an air/oil cylinder system to adjust the speed, and also have a plc monitor the sensors at the end of the stroke.

but the question still remains, what are you trying to do?

james

fiberman411 said:

Hi I would like to know if you can suggest a solution to a problem.
I have a piece of machinery that is primarily pneumatic in its operation and as such it can be very difficult in controlling the speed of one of it's cylinders. It is normally set by adjusting the flow control while monitoring a stopwatch and monitoring the quality of the actual spray coming from the print head.
I would love to use a linear actuator but I can't.
I need a display or HMI / plc combo that can be programmed to simulate the use of a stopwatch using two proximity switches as the start stop reset.
all the while displaying the last cycle time in seconds. My idea is the operator / supervisors can walk by and see (while its running) if its within its .75 to 1.25 second pull back speed. The machine is heavily guarded and quite difficult to watch.

Please let me know if I have hope of finding something?
Bob

Click to expand...

You could take it one step above. Have the PLC set an alarm if it is out of the range you set. Maybe look into some way to let the PLC adjust the speed of the next cycle based on the last one? Talk to your air equipment supplier he may have something that would help.
Good luck with the project Bob.

Guru Help

I'm currently looking into the Automation C-more panels and the little Koyo / AD plc.

My Factory is very old school ..IE behind the times .. of which I'm attempting to change.
I'm looking for a setup that I can give a lower level tech so they can tell me how fast multiple machine functions are running, I have a Fluke 123 but it's just not something I can leave on a piece of equipment while it's running.

So to use a very simple analogy I need a carnival reaction timer.. hit the red button and then the green .. and have it show who has the fastest hands...

like I said simple.

With this I can build it into a small box with a couple of switches with a couple of magnetic mounts and everyone can see the speed of their machine.

It always amazes operators when you show them how close their guess is on machine speed ..they watch it every day 5 or 6 thousand cycles and to make a change of 0.01 second either way and Pow a maintenance call is generated.

If I understand your last post,
you want a single plc with sensors going to several machines for a timing function.

if that's true, all sensors must be powered from the plc AND you must use yellow (could be orange) wire for the sensors - interface wiring.
you must also use placards designating the machine has power from another source if the wiring is inside the control panel.

See NFPA 79 - Electrical Standard for Industrial Machinery.

james

You could probably look into a Horner controller as well, PLC/HMI in one with lots of expandable I/O depending on how many you need. Free software.

Siemens Logo!8 has an integrated display, good for cheap and cheerful jobs.