Best small Ethernet compact logic PLC

[jtashaffer]

What do you guys use for a small compact installation? The setup is for just 1 input. A pulse off a scale and then send it to another plc.

 

[dginbuffalo]

You can't just get the pulse to the other PLC, it has to be over ethernet? Any chance of just putting a remote I/O module fro the destination PLC? Just thinking out loud...

 

[mendonsy]

What is the PLC you want to send this to?? That makes a big difference.

 

[The Plc Kid]

What's the other PLC you are sending it to? I am a Rcokwell shop so for me I would drop a Point IO ethernet adaptor and a 4 point input card there.

For a single input is it to long of a distance to hardwire? Maybe change the voltage share the length with a marshalling box?

 

[jtashaffer]

Dginbufflo I no it has to be over the Ethernet. The other plc is a controllogix. Which one is the easiest, and cheapest option. It is to far of a run. The point I/o Ethernet adapter and a 4 input card sounds good. Are you able to send messages with the point I/O. Also can you hook it up to transaction manager?

 

[The Plc Kid]

You send messages between controlers not controler and IO adaptor. Not sure why you would want to?

Also you would not connect an IO remote adaptor to transaction manager. Transaction manager connects to your plc and can read the status of that remote IO.

Transaction manager is normally for recipes,jobs and large pieces of data and not so much individual input points but you could.

 

[jtashaffer]

So the point I/O only acts as a remote slave to the master(PLC) it can't be used as a stand alone unit? That is what I am looking for. So let me back up. The setup we have at work is a belt weight scale which has a pulse output on it. The pulse output goes to a Truck BL20 Ethernet device with I/o attached. So is that acting as a slave to a main PLC? The main thing is to get away from the turck BL20.

 

[Archie]

The pulse output goes to a Truck BL20 Ethernet device with I/o attached. So is that acting as a slave to a main PLC? The main thing is to get away from the turck BL20.

What else is the BL20 doing? Why do you want to get away from the BL20? Is the BL20 currently exchanging data with the CompactLogix?

 

[jtashaffer]

I am trying to get away from the BL20. This is 1 of 3 I have to get rid of. I am still trying to figure out the whole system. It was put in by a third party. The scale data goes in to transaction manager from 1 or 2 PLC's. Not for sure if I have found the correct location for the pulse to the first PLC. It is a compactlogix. The second one is a controllogix. I just need to find out how the system is setup for sure and what to get to replace the BL20. If it is confusing I am sorry. It is confusing to me to. It makes it hard going behind someone we don't do business with anymore.

 

[DwSoFt]

Are the BL20'S giving you grief? Why replace them. The flexio rack will be as it's name suggests flexible in the future and why buy another cpu when you don't need to?

 

[jtashaffer]

I can't see the program that's there or replace it when it fails. I talk to tech support, and that was a dead end.I don't want to be out in the cold when it does. All three are tied to Important stuff.

 

[DwSoFt]

Ok so if u replace them with a flexio rack, the program would be part of your existing processors (as long as it's program has memory remaining) and so if it failed you wouldn't have to upload a program as well as a complete plc with processor is most like more costly. Seems like a good idea to me but I am not in your shoes

 

[The Plc Kid]

I can't see the program that's there or replace it when it fails. I talk to tech support, and that was a dead end.I don't want to be out in the cold when it does. All three are tied to Important stuff.

Turck BL20 is just remote IO same as Point IO it does not have a program. It's configured by dip switches and / or the Controllogix.

If you are not experienced with these types of setups it may be a good idea to get in some outside help from a qualified automation contractor in your area.

 

[jtashaffer]

You are probably right. But I need to do it on my own. I will learn that way. I just got to figure out which plc it is tied to.

 

[Archie]

The BL20 comes in 2 configuration. Either as dumb IO just like flex IO, or as a stand along controller that is programmed with CodeSys.

If it is currently dumb IO, then it must have a controller some where in the system. If it is an Ethernet/IP coupler, you could easily just add it as an IO block to an existing CompactLogix and connect it via Ethernet.

If it is the stand alone controller, did you try to connect with CodeSys to see if you can upload the source. The original programmer may have performed a source code download that will allow you to get the program from the controller. Another option is to replace just the coupler with an Ethernet/IP coupler and use it as dumb IO.