Wireless I/O Recomendations

Hey Guys! its been a while..

Working on a project were we need a remote I/O station for a couple of push buttons, and E-stop, and a switch. The original plan was to run underground as the location of this remote I/O box wont be in a convenient location, also its possible that it will move around to different surrounding area.... nothing that would put it out of range.....but non the less the underground run was scratched off the table for the mobility factor.

Got to thinking about wireless I/O was recommended to check out Phoenix Contact wireless I/O but had a few concerns wanted to see if anyone here has had success with few problems, also do you think there is any reason it would't meed OSHA standards as it will be a wireless E-Stop as well.
What is the reliability of wireless I/O.

Thanks guys... oh PS its just digital IO no analog, and our controller is a PLC-5

Well, if it's a PLC5 your stuck with Remote I/O or if it's a ControlNet one, ControlNet. Prosoft has Wireless technology, but that's Ethernet. Remote I/O can go up to 10, 000 ft., but it needs a cable. I don't know offhand about wireless Remote I/O. Also I wouldn't call a wireless Emergency Stop and Emergency Stop. Needs to be hardwired, in my opinion.

Also check out the Banner DX80 wireless products, you can mount the gateway in or near the plc cabinet and use discrete I/O.But as far as E-Stop the only things I've ever seen are for crane applications, their wireless pendants typically have a large E-stop button on them but I do not know enough about them to say they meet any approvals.

http://www.acecrane.com/accessories/radio-on-off

It appears that the answer is no according to a previous post from days gone by: http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=25365

Back around 2000, I worked with a customer that had some Italian equipment which utilized laser based RIO comms for some remote equipment on a PLC 5/40 system. I believe Leuze made the transmitter/receiver units. Could be a possibility if your application was line of sight.

The way wireless I/O would work with any controller is that you have a base station that is hard wired to physical I/O cards in your controller.

Then you have the remote station where your field wiring is located powered separately or by battery.

Inputs at the base station become outputs at the remote station and vice versa. There are modules for analog and digital signals.

In this way the wireless system is independent of any bus the PLC might use (DH+, Modbus, etc.).

There are wireless estops. You can usually see them on the wireless crane control boxes. I don't know for sure but my guess is that they operate on a heartbeat signal where the base station is constantly pinging the remote station and if it doesn't get a reply, it opens the e-stop circuit. I just went through a training on the new Phoenix Radioline wireless system and it looks pretty good but we don't have any installations with it. I don't believe it has e-stop rated modules yet.

This is awesome information norm ex actually what I was thinking and what I was looking for...Phoenix does have something that does say "heartbeat" on it not sure what it was exactly but givin the info from you maybe I can figure it out....if you have anymore info you can provide please let me know...who can I contact in regards to the OSHA regulations. Is there like a "1-800-OSHA" number haha..

How about just wiring to a ML and using a radio to communicate back to the main plant PLC? Now using radio you would have to add comms fails as a SD but it's an idea. I like Trio Radios. Pricey but solid and easy to set up.

http://www.schneider-electric.com/p...os/61420-trio-license-free-radios/?BUSINESS=1

Digi Radios are cheaper but, well, cheaper.

http://www.digi.com/products/wireless-modems-peripherals/wireless-range-extenders-peripherals/xtend

Kraken Fan #69