AB PLC choice for PLC Lab?

Hi everyone - this is my first post, although I've been aware of this site for years.

I'm in the process of specing out an AB PLC to restock my PLC lab, which is in dire need of upgrades. For the first-level PLC course, I will be teaching discrete I/O, timers, counters, and before too long, I'll add a bit of analog I/O. Since the students I'll be teaching will be PLC neophytes, I need to stay in the Micro line so "boo-boos" can be overcome at the lower price point. I have narrowed my choices to the 1100e (because it has 2 built-in analog inputs and the ethernet capabilities) and the 1200 (because it is about the same cost as the 1100 and plenty capable for the task at hand). Which way would you go and why? If you need more information, I'd be happy to (attempt to) provide it.

Thanks in advance!

Dr. Hockey,

I have ten PLC trainers built on LabVolt Motor control trainers. The original's were SLC503's. At some point they were swapped to 504's to use Data Highway. Why, Im still not sure. Anyway, I am in the process of swaping to SLC 505's, for lots of reasons.

Analog is a must. Even with begginers. The Micrologic Line seems to be fine. We have two 1500's in one of our procecss labs, but I have not yet had a chacne to work with them.

While the motor control trainers are LabVolt, the PLC's and some other equipment were built by Future Tek Inc.(888)299-0864. These trainers are very nice to work with.

Make sure and contact your local Rockwell/AB supplier, and let them know you are in education. DEEP DISCOUNTS!!! You'll have to get the quote to believe it. There is red tape, but its worth it.

If you have other questions PM me. I may be able to help out in the processor department. SLC's though.

Another opinion:
Maybe it is better to go with Compact Logix. You program it with a tagname-based philosophy with a lot of emphasis on Arrays and Structures. Compact Logix are not expensive as opposed to Control Logix but they program in a similar manner to Control Logix.
These are the product lines that Rockwell has been pushing and I think that they will become dominant (if they are not already dominant...) in the very near future.
I also believe that the other PLC companies are moving in this tagname-based programing direction as well.(GE PAC Rx7, Rx3, etc...)

But...this is just one man's opinion. If I were teaching new PLC users, this is what I would use if the costs were not too prohibitive.

Have you looked at the MicroLogix 1100 yet? It would seem to have what you need, is still a micro, and has ONLINE editing capability. It comes with 10 D.I., 6 D.O., and 2 0-10v analog inputs. You can also use up to 4 ML1200 expansion I/O modules with it and it has built in ethernet. You would have to upgrade your RSLogix 500 to V 7.0, but the neat thing is that the less expensive RSLogix 500 starter software that in the past did not support online editing, will support it for the ML1100. And the ML1100 lists for around $550.00 USD.

I just re-read your post and see that you have looked at the 1100 - OOPS!

from a "been-there-done-that" perspective ...

ask your school's "industrial advisory committee" what THEY think would be best ... after all, they're the people who will eventually (and hopefully) be hiring your students ...

don't have a committee? ... start one ...

in many cases, local industries are willing to help with all sorts of benefits ... including out-right grants and donations to make the program successful ...

Over here in Belgium we made an agreement with Rockwell we would provide the basic training on CompactLogix for their customers and we got an extensive discount. In fact we paid less than half the price. If you can arrange such an agreement with Rockwell and your school (don't dare to forget them or else...) you could save a lot of money.

Ron's advice is for certain something to follow. I have seen lots of schools around here using PLCs nobody in the entire country uses. Guess what that does to the job opportunities for your students!

Kind regards,

cjh said:

Another opinion:
Maybe it is better to go with Compact Logix. You program it with a tagname-based philosophy with a lot of emphasis on Arrays and Structures. Compact Logix are not expensive as opposed to Control Logix but they program in a similar manner to Control Logix.
These are the product lines that Rockwell has been pushing and I think that they will become dominant (if they are not already dominant...) in the very near future.
I also believe that the other PLC companies are moving in this tagname-based programing direction as well.(GE PAC Rx7, Rx3, etc...)

But...this is just one man's opinion. If I were teaching new PLC users, this is what I would use if the costs were not too prohibitive.

Click to expand...

Our local vendor put a quote together that had ML1200 at around $700 with discrete I/O modules, but a similar CompactLogix system would have been well over three times that. Since the I/O modules WILL eventually get destroyed by careless students, I think I'd rather stay in the ML line. On the other hand, some of the pricing I see quoted on this message board indicates that the members here might know something I don't... where do you shop for your hardware?

Ron Beaufort said:

ask your school's "industrial advisory committee" what THEY think would be best ... after all, they're the people who will eventually (and hopefully) be hiring your students ...

don't have a committee? ... start one ...

in many cases, local industries are willing to help with all sorts of benefits ... including out-right grants and donations to make the program successful ...

Click to expand...

I'll be doing this next Tuesday.

jvdcande said:

Over here in Belgium we made an agreement with Rockwell we would provide the basic training on CompactLogix for their customers and we got an extensive discount. In fact we paid less than half the price. If you can arrange such an agreement with Rockwell and your school (don't dare to forget them or else...) you could save a lot of money.

Click to expand...

I approached our local vendor with an idea like this and it was not well received. Did you do it through a vendor or did you go straight to AB?

The CompactLogix system uses the same IO modules as the ML1500, and I would very much agree that if you can negtiotiate a good price, that they would definitely be the way to go.

The CompactLogix L31 processor offers more than adequate performance for training purposes at a price not too much higher than a similar ML1500.

From a training perspective I am very sure that you will find them far more effective and powerful to use than the previous generation of PLC.

I got my discounts through Rockwell, but the Vender (Irby) is involved in the deal. Its better than half price. Example: SLC505 16Kram $790.75. NIB. Less than a year ago, working for a mill I had to pay close to 3000.00.

I had to go to Rockwell's Website, and fill out a form. It took about three days to get a reply. Its not just hardware. They have Huge savings on Software. I do mean Huge. Logix5, Lgx500, LGX5000, View, Linx, Pview, all packaged together- 5 installs $600.00

I tried my link to the website, but it goes directly to a login screen. You couldn't get passed it without setting up an educational account.

By all means get local industry support. I work those contacts as often as I can. It would not make sense to be teaching AB when local industry uses Siemens.

Other venders as well help out. Emerson (Rosemont, DeltaV) has been great too.

plchacker said:

I tried my link to the website, but it goes directly to a login screen. You couldn't get passed it without setting up an educational account.

Click to expand...

I can't even find that... I'd appreciate the link!

Dr. Hocky,

Here are some places to start with Rockwell. The first is the Products directory.

http://www.rockwellautomation.com/products/

http://www.ab.com/plclogic/micrologix/1100/

http://www.software.rockwell.com/navigation/products/index.cfm

You may easily set up an online account with Rockwell. All that is required is a name, mailling address, phone, and E-mail.

It is great to see that good ole' Western Kentucky University is still alive and fighting. I was a student there once in my salad days, many, many years ago.

Dr. Hockey said:

I can't even find that... I'd appreciate the link!

Click to expand...

I'll call my vendor tomorow. I'm sure he can get the link.

We have a manufacturer comming in to interview students for possible work. That is a first for me. I have done testing for local mills, but this is kind of nice. They are after our students.

Even I, die-hard Unitronics fan that I am, have to admit the ML 1100 is a nice package, especially if you can get it at a steep discount. To give your students what they really need, ethernet is a must.

I would also recommend you look into a few HMI units. Even some inexpensive Automation Direct compatibles would be good. You don't need one for each PLC, just a few for the class to hook up and play with.

We need more training in HMI design, people! It's not "just a replacement" for pushbuttons, any more than a plc is "just a replacement" for relays. Designing coherent, organized, easy to use HMI systems is mandatory!

TM