OK, I've been trying to figure out on my own how I would setup a PLC control system for some of our production lines at work.
There are several converyors on the line, all hydraulically powered. Also, there is a mixing machine that pumps product onto the line. Another machine on the line uses hydraulics for its motors as well, but has flow control valves to control speed. Finally, there is a fryer on the line that is mostly hydraulic, but has a few AC motors attached to oil pumps. The heating is contolled by 2 TCUs, and uses electric heating (2 radiators). There are also 2 machines per line at the start of the line that are already conteolled by PLCs (a SLC 5/05). I figured that sol. valves could be put on the conveyors, and the fryer wouldn't be hard to convert. I would probably use a PanelView for the operator to control the line. My questions are:
1. How would you interface the line controller to the SLC in the first machine?
2. How could you keep the speed control on the other machine?
Like I said, I'm just trying to figure this out to satisfy my own curiosity. I'm not working on this project (there is no such project, actually), and honestly, I don't think that proposing hte idea to management would go anywhere.
Thanks!!
There are several converyors on the line, all hydraulically powered. Also, there is a mixing machine that pumps product onto the line. Another machine on the line uses hydraulics for its motors as well, but has flow control valves to control speed. Finally, there is a fryer on the line that is mostly hydraulic, but has a few AC motors attached to oil pumps. The heating is contolled by 2 TCUs, and uses electric heating (2 radiators). There are also 2 machines per line at the start of the line that are already conteolled by PLCs (a SLC 5/05). I figured that sol. valves could be put on the conveyors, and the fryer wouldn't be hard to convert. I would probably use a PanelView for the operator to control the line. My questions are:
1. How would you interface the line controller to the SLC in the first machine?
2. How could you keep the speed control on the other machine?
Like I said, I'm just trying to figure this out to satisfy my own curiosity. I'm not working on this project (there is no such project, actually), and honestly, I don't think that proposing hte idea to management would go anywhere.
Thanks!!