Smart Card, Card-lock, Security......

The managers are looking at installing a cardlock for the chip and sawdust trucks. They have asked if there is something I could install on our PLCs that would do the same job. Here is the available info I have. We have control logix PLCs close to the bins. There is devicenet, controlnet and ethernet to these processors. There is also PLC5 DH+ also close enough to run Blue hose to another PLC. The truck driver is to have a card or some device he has to plug into to get access to the bin controls. We talked extensively about code numbers and pass codes and management is not interested in this. They want a card or similar device the truck driver is solely responsible for. Three companies buy our sawdust and chips, I have mentioned that there is little use installing card lock unless the receiving company also installs the system and the two work together. I asked about bar coding the trailers and the trucking firm said no. They transport for so many other sawmills that this is not practicle unless I can talk the others into adapting the same security system. We need the following info, The trailer number, the driver ID, the company he intends to deliver to and who he works for. To make things interesting there are two trucking firms delivering our sawdust and chips to three companies. Here is what I was thinking ..... I can use 16 bits of an input module and this would represent a file on the PLC. It would include driver ID and company that receives the product. If the driver delivers to a different company he needs two cards. When he inserts the card and is given clearence, a digital camera records the truck ID and plate. How can I interface a plastic card to an input card? Is there a supplier for hotel room card lock systems and are they a digital output? Programming software? I also thought about USB drives. They are dirt cheap and we just need to install a computer networked to the business LAN. When the driver installs his drive into the USB port a script in VB downloads the info on the drive and compares it to an access database. If the driver is on file the access is allowed. If he/she delivers to more than one company, this is also on the drive. A simple comparison to the receiver by weekly reports is all that is required. The smart card idea seems OK and the card lock will work. Just how the heck do I interface these into the PLCs that I have? Is there a simpler method? OK now everyone is wondering why.... well it is common to have two or three trucks go missing in a six month period. The price of chips and the low price of lumber, we are chipping whole logs now. One truck load of chips is about 6K US. This is not a lot to most industry but to us it is life or death.If things do not turn soon in the US there may not be a next year for us. There is lots of work here but this is kinda like home for me.This site helped in the Beehive burner program I made, I hope there somone out there who can help me now. Thanks everyone for your time. Bruce..

Bruce99,

I feel your pain, I'm also in the wood industry.

I don't think this will help but there was a discussion on card readers a while back. http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=30222&highlight=visitor

I keep thinking something simple like the system they use at Home Depot. Each product has this SKU code. At checkstand they scan the barcode and it rings up (so to speak). I also assume that this is subtracted from inventory (so why are they always running out??)

I know using SKU is probably improper but I don't feel like dreaming up another name.

Now assuming
1 you can give each driver a SKU code on a card.
2. the trucking companies BOTH will allow you to put a SKU code unique to each trailer on their trailers. Why not? They don't have to maintain them it would be your responsibility.
3. Each delivery point has a SKU code.
4. That would be assigned for this load by the computer.


So driver pulls in scans his SKU code and the trailer SKU. He loads. Truck is scaled.

OK now the data you have in the computer is driver (thus trucking outfit) trailer (again the trucking outfit is ID'd) time date of loadout lbs of chips.

So he drives off and gets to destination.
I guess there would have to be a reader there also.
So he scans in his card and trailer and gets responses
1. We don't even know about you
2. You went to the wrong plant
3. We know you should be here everything matches go ahead and unload.
4. He unloads, gets scaled so now you know how much got delivered (there would be a used fuel value also)

DRAWBACKS
1. Long distance communication
2. Long distance for maintenance purposes
3. A lot of chefs in stew that have to agree - two trucking outfits, 3 sources, 4 sets of scales so that is 24 ways to screw it up at this stage alone.
4. Employee turnover and training. Infinite potential for screwups.
5. Lost scanners.

ADVANTAGES
Should reduce paper invoices, bill of lading, scale tickets, automatic tracking of chips.

HMMM you could also put in GPS tracking of trucks just to make it a little more complicated.

Lived in St Helens Or a loggin sawmill and pulp town, so I know a little about the business. Question is I see no problem with stealing a load of chips BUT who are you going to sell it to??
Seems a lot easier to steal a load of logs (even with branding) and sell to any of a hundred small sawmills one of whom will have no scruples and pay cash.
Dan Bentler

Thanks for input.

Ive looked at these sites and others. This may be a bigger challenge than I expected.