PLC application query

acmavs584 · Oct 1, 2005

Hello,
I know very little about PLC specifics and applications. I am building an autonomous line follwoing robot that will incorporate various components such as line follosing sensors, prox sensors, a camera vision system and DC motors. The PLC would serve to navigate the robot around the course. Is a PLC a good option for an application such as this one? I would appreciate some feedback as I am in the preliminary phases of the project.
Thanks

leitmotif · Oct 1, 2005

acmavs584 said:
Hello,
I know very little about PLC specifics and applications. I am building an autonomous line follwoing robot that will incorporate various components such as line follosing sensors, prox sensors, a camera vision system and DC motors. The PLC would serve to navigate the robot around the course.

Is a PLC a good option for an application such as this one?
REPLY Yup

I would appreciate some feedback as I am in the preliminary phases of the project.
REPLY We need more details
- is this thing the size of a breadbox or a locomotive?
Does it have to deal with dodging people?
What does it do?
How fast does it go?
Etc etc etc

I need a job - will do your engineering for you happily
- send contract
-- send money !!!.

Dan Bentler

Jimmie_Ohio · Oct 1, 2005

Try "Google-ing" the topic of "automated guided vehicles" or AGV for short. I found a really good (and important) article about safety under this topic. Don't forget that!

A robot following a line is exactly an AGV, especially if there is a requirement to be wireless and self-contained.
Technically, the vehicle does the travel. You would still need a robot mounted to the vehicle to do the manipulation.

Not to advertise or drop names, but I worked with a system supplied to an old contract employer that came from "Frog" Navigation Systems. It was quite extensive (and expensive). It was a proprietary PC application that tied in to our ControlLogix system. Each vehicle was tracked and communicated via wireless network connections on-board.

elevmike · Oct 2, 2005

A PLC may be a good choice. However that depends on how extensive your application is. Like how many stops? What type of course, (branching or single loop), What's the vision system for? etc....Post more detail and you'll get better answers.

PLC application query

acmavs584

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leitmotif

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Jimmie_Ohio

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elevmike

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