busarider29, you are a one-percenter, just like the guy who needs the $50 PLC with 4 inputs and 2 outputs. Granted, you need what you need and I'm not arguing that point. But 100kHz sampling rates and 50 usec scan times? Well north of 99% of the industrial processes in the world will never come close to that level of performance requirement.
Whether I'm part of the one-percenter or not, that is not the point. The point is, if you can get an IPC that can do the exact same things as a "black box" PLC and
a whole bunch more for the same price, or in some cases a lot cheaper, why would you not go with IPC?? Why would you continue to go with "less"?? Familiarity?? Too afraid to change? Too afraid to learn something new and a bit different? Because that's really what it looks like.
Say I've got a process where I'm producing electrical solenoids. It is required that each one of those solenoids have a number of tests done on them before they are to be put in the box, or put into an assembly. These tests are done at one of the last stations on the line. The tests include peak current draw, vibration (m/s^2), frequency of the vibration analysis, peak sound (db), to name just a few of the tests. You need high sampling frequencies and in some cases, very low scan rates to get accurate results of these types of tests. You are
not doing these tests with a "black box" PLC. Ain't gonna happen. Now think about all of the manufactured electrical components that you see and use everyday. You don't think these types of tests are done on those too?? Still think I'm a one-percenter?? So....how are all the other manufacturers out there doing these tests on their manufacturing lines if they are using "black-box" PLCs?? Obviously they are integrating or having some other stand-alone device outside of the PLC that does the tests. On one side of our manufacturing facility, we are using the "black box" PLCs. On the other, we're using IPCs. I work on the side with the IPC's.
So, say you come and work here and we even give you the choice of what side of the house you want to work. You want to work on the side with the "black box" PLC. Of course you do! Of course you'll get your trusty AB controller you love so much and are so familiar with, that's true. But get this - you're also going to get National Instruments hardware with LabView programs, Matlab and those programs, and the Sigpod stuff too. Oh, you're not familiar with Labview and Matlab??? Oh well, you better figure it out because your line is down and they are waiting on you. Ohhhh.....so nice over here on the IPC side where everything is under one roof and done in PLC code (kicking back, sipping on my coffee).
Truthfully, we are looking for someone now that is familiar with those things (Matlab, Labview, etc...) since our Control's Engineers over there don't want to touch them. But our Controls Engineers over there on that side are the same guys like you that push so hard for "black box" and refuse to make the jump to IPC. Weird!!! Well, if you don't want to touch LabView, MatLab, etc, then you shouldn't have lobbied so hard for "black box". Now deal with it or find another job. That would be my hard stance on it if I were the manager. But I digress...
But if PC-based open systems were that easy to make fly they would have taken over already. No matter how you look at it, PC-based open systems will put more demand on the implementer to make sure everything goes right.
That is a perception, but that is all it is. The biggest reason PC hasn't take over is simply because in most facilities, they have mostly standardized to either "Black box" PLC, and in a lot of cases, a brand name as well. It's too hard and expensive to change. This is one big reason why all the PLC manufacturers fight so hard to get their product in your door, especially for new facilities. Because they know that once you commit just once, you're very unlikely to jump ship later.
There is another thread just recently posted on here, where there is an article showing the graph of X-vendor (IPC) vs Y-vendor ("black box") in sales. The graph shows it clearly, unless one just wants to claim "fake news" on it. IPC vendor is quickly catching up in sales each and every year over the past 5 years. Whereas "black-box" vendor, in that same time span, has flattened out. Yes, maybe IPC hasn't taken over "yet", but its gaining fast and it didn't have a 30+ year head start either. If you're the "black-box" vendor, you cannot simply ignore those graphs and numbers. You have to do something. So if you're the CEO, what do you propose?
!!Flashback!!
