Rick,
The answer to your last post is yes. However as I said, we are in the unique position of usually being limited to having to use only digital on/off IO (except in the case of some pre-existing older analog drives). Most of these changes require only programming, and/or some other field device that can usually be obtained locally if in a hurry. In my area Mac&Mac(an AB dist) & GALCO both carry a large varity of sensors, switches, etc.. and they are located within 100ft of each other. So if one dosnt have it the other one may. When we are under the gun we dont ask about picing, we just go get it, and the guys at the counter are usually very knowelgeable.
Back in '79 when I convinced the boss to drop the all-relay jobs and go with PLCs the 1st stop I made was at Mac&Mac because I saw AB and Gould equipment in their showroom when I was picking up other parts. They tried to be helpfull but at the time this required me to go there often to pickup demos and return them etc..
The boss was dead set on AB because he was a WWII vet and carried a grudge, however his busniess sense finally took over when the Omron guy flew in from Slumberge Ill and spent three days in our office with all the equipment on the confrence room table. He gave us a C60K to boot. That service sealed the deal.
Eventually AutomationDirects' pricing, and website pulled us away from Omron.
I'm not going to say anything bad about AB equipment. It's just that the marketplace is a different enviroment than they are accustomed to, and thats why they are slipping. If they are going to continue to sell through local distributers than they need to do it like a convienent storefront operation, extended hours, up front pricing, and on the shelf, like going to your local computer store, with much less fuss.
When we bought our fist computer we delt with IBM for weeks before it landed in our office. Now days I can go to Compusa, or call Dell. Times have changed.
I would like to wrap up my last post to this thread by apologizing to Eddie for that jab regarding the Saturday morning thing. I know it was unfair because ALL PLC equipment fails from time to time for a variaty of reasons. But, Eddie, you have to admit, you left such a wide opening I just couldnt resist.
I'll see you guys on some other, more productive thread. I think this one is panned out now.
Mike