small machine plc

LEEPE

Member
Join Date
Sep 2007
Location
Virginia
Posts
3
Need a small PLC for a small stand alone machine; 4 DC in, 4 DC out, possibly one analog in, with small HMI. It's been years since I used anything, so I am basically starting over with PLC's.

I have a new S7-200 224 xp DC/DC/DC that I could use, but I want to standardize on something for future similar machines.

Things that are important to me are ease of learning, ease of use, small size, nice looking HMI. I saw the Horner XL series OCS and like the all in one package. I also see that Automation Direct has some low end PLC's and the C-more micro panels that could work for me.

Is the Siemens coupled with an small HMI panel a good way to go for the future(1st one is already paid for) , or would the Horner, or Automation direc, or something else be better, all things considered?
 
You could use an Allen Bradley ML1100 there not too expensive they have 10 input + 2 Analogue in and 6 outputs and link that to a redlion display you would have a nice little setup both come with ethernet so coms is easy and both have built in web servers so you can create a web page to display production data for your end user as well.
 
Any of them will work just fine. What do you have local support for? Where is your comfort level? Those two questions are perhaps more important than which one will work... There are many, many PLCs of many brands that will fill the purpose adequately.
 
I second the Automation Direct PLC's for most applications. I've installed hundreds of them and only one has failed the forklift blade through the panel test. I had one that got soaked with rain from a faulty gutter... dried it out and turned it on and it's still in service to this day...

John
 
Lee,

Ron had mentioned Entertron...for which I am a representative. The controller that we offer that would fit your application requirements is the Smart-PAK PLUS. More information can be found through this link - www.entertron.com/smart-pak.htm

Our software can be downloaded and requires a password for unlocking the download. You can download from this link - www.entertron.com/software.htm You can email me at [email protected] for a password.

We market three primary manufacturer's HMI products, both text and touch screen. Information on both can be found at the following links.

www.entertron.com/touchscr.htm
www.entertron.com/opint.htm

As Ron had mentioned, what we offer is more of an OEM product in look.

If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact me.

PS...Ron, thanks for the plug and for someone who wasn't going to be here that much, you are past 7000 posts...WOW!!!

God Bless,
 
I'm not a big fan of Automation Direct stuff due to its Walmart-Like target market. Theres alot of truth in the 'you get what you pay for' line. Opto22 for example encountered issues going for the 'bargain basement' market.

The Siemens is going to be a good, solid platform and give you lots more options in the future. Isee no reason to change from that if you are comfortable with the software and functionality.

AB micrologix as stated before is a good solution too.

Schneider have the M340 thats powerful and in the same sort of cost range as the S7-200 and the ML1100 if you like modicon, though their tech support isnt as good as either Siemens or AB.
As for HMI, we use alot of Xycom mainly because they are extremely reliable, the software is good (and free!) plus they come with just about every kind of IO driver you can think of.
Maple are pretty good too. Siemens HMI tend to be a little pricey, as are Panelview/PV+.

This is just my experience...........
 
SLC_Integrator said:
I'm not a big fan of Automation Direct stuff due to its Walmart-Like target market. Theres alot of truth in the 'you get what you pay for' line. Opto22 for example encountered issues going for the 'bargain basement' market.

<snip>

This is just my experience...........

I've installed close to 200 Automation Direct PLC's without any issues at all and all but one is still in service. It was physicaly broken into small bits by a fork lift operator who centerpunched the panel with his forklift blade...

While I might not use their products for every application. They are by far the most cost effective PLC on the market that I know of. No, I don't work for them and I end up using Allen Bradley for most projects because my cutomers pay me more to use them...

This has been my experiance...

Thanks
John
 
I say just stick with the s7-200, I've got one on my desk and just started using it, pretty easy to use in my opinon. I have yet to attach any HMI to it so I dont' have any first hand experience with that, however we do have a piece of equipement that uses this PLC and has an industrial pc running GE Proficiy software for the HMI.

The program you'll be running seems like it has to be rather simple based on the number of I/O you're usinge, if in the future a plc standard is put in place, would it really be that much effort to port it over to the new platform?
 
Big John T said:
While I might not use their products for every application. They are by far the most cost effective PLC on the market that I know of.
Thanks
John

Generally our customer base isnt looking for 'cost effectiveness', rather dependability, functionality, support and ease of use.
Perhaps thats why AD has never been specified either by our customers or by us.

I just would NOT put AD on the same sort of quality level as AB or Siemens. Maybe its not trying to compete, but as I stated before, 'cost effective' and 'value for money' are something you see at Walmart.
 
SLC_Integrator said:
Generally our customer base isnt looking for 'cost effectiveness', rather dependability, functionality, support and ease of use.
Perhaps thats why AD has never been specified either by our customers or by us.

I just would NOT put AD on the same sort of quality level as AB or Siemens. Maybe its not trying to compete, but as I stated before, 'cost effective' and 'value for money' are something you see at Walmart.

Why not? AD (Koyo) has been in service for as many years as mamy others, for that matter some of the big market players brand named these products as theirs. At one time Siemens, TI, or GE may have been requested and the unit was made by Koyo.

If Siemens and GE thought they were good enough to place their name on them, wouldn't you consider that as reliable and quality, they must have.
 
SLC_Integrator said:
Generally our customer base isnt looking for 'cost effectiveness', rather dependability, functionality, support and ease of use.
Perhaps thats why AD has never been specified either by our customers or by us.

I just would NOT put AD on the same sort of quality level as AB or Siemens. Maybe its not trying to compete, but as I stated before, 'cost effective' and 'value for money' are something you see at Walmart.

My customers were raised on AB and they for the most part don't want to change only because their tech's know how to program them. As for quality I've had many more AB PLC's fail than AD. As for functionality if I don't need the features in the AB then the AD is fine. If I need a feature on an AB then it is the best for the job. Most small machines don't need much...

As for support I can get a knowledgeable tech support guy on the phone in a minute from AD. I get more help from this forum on AB than I can get from the local rep. He tries but he ends up just being a relay to to AB and slows down my anwser. I don't see how you compare AD to Walmart???

Soapbox On
If your not looking for cost effectivness then soon the products you make will be made in China! To keep manufacturing jobs in the US you must always look for ways to improve the quality and cost of your products. Remember we compete against the world market for most items and 0.40 cents an hour for a worker takes some cunning and skill to compete against...
Soapbox OFF

Sounds like you just don't like AD products for some reason...

John
 
Theres a HUGE difference between being a hardware manufacturer and being a full-service equipment supplier.

Yamatake for instance (who are they??) used to make DCS controller cards for Honeywell. Real expensive, high end, high $ stuff. They had NO support and Honeywell eventually dumped them.

MTL are an extremely good hardware manufacturer (Honeywell TDC uses their IO and Emerson Delta V is pretty much MTL) but their DCS solution (MOST) is horrible.

I have plenty more examples.......

The key is for a quality hardware manufacturer to write powerful, flexible programming software, good solid firmware and follow it up with good tech support and quality SI support networks for the end user.

I just dont think AD is there yet, Siemens and AB are.
 
Since you do not use them, and recommend others not to use them, how do you know what they have to offer?

This is a case of "ASSUME". The market is open for the needs of many, lower cost with good support and reliable products like AD offers is good for customers and competition.
 

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