I need a replace PLC for my plastic injection machines, any recommend?

[Agamenon]

AD products?

 

[72hdflh]

Automation Direct I am assuming.

 

[CharlesM]

Are they anything like these

http://www.deltacompsys.com/applications/appnotes/documents/InjectionMoldingMachine.pdf

 

[504bloke]

Why on earth would he want that old junk when he could have a nice shiny S7?

Soooooooo funny its almost worth a drive by to beat you over the head with a control logix housed in concrete.....



And yes i still owe you a

 

[504bloke]

lol... I was just kidding

I am trying real hard to believe you kev!

 

[Peter Nachtwey]

Agamenon should be looking at a complete package, not a bunch of parts

Are they anything like these
http://www.deltacompsys.com/applications/appnotes/documents/InjectionMoldingMachine.pdf

A RMC75 can easily do this, but the RMC75 is not an injection molding package, just an injection and clamp controller. The problem we have is that it takes someone to integrate the HMI ( I would use a Red Lion because of its graphing ), the temperature controls and the injection controls to make a complete package. I can get an injection molding profile and machine sequence to go in a few hours. Some how the OEMs make things much harder have problems with combining the three parts. Part of the problem is the comminucations between the three parts.

One of the big problems is getting the shot data from the injection controller to the HMI. In the past most of our customers have used S7 PLCs. The problem with S7s is that they use Profibus DP instead of Ethernet. The requires that all that data must be sent through 16 to 32 registers that are mapped as I/O. There is no MSG block like a AB PLC has. Writing this is not easy for most people although the strong S7 programmer on this forum can handle it easy enough. Then the information must be sent from the S7 to the HMI. This is a pain.

I think that those that have hard the best luck use Ethernet. Ethernet allows a HMI, like the Red Lion, to directly gather the shot data from the injection controller and plot it without bothering with the PLC if there is one.. If the Red Lion can send set points to temperature controllers or ML1100, that can do the temperature control, then one can make a complete package.

One can write all the control code in the PLC. This works OK most of the time. The problem is that accessing the PLC or doing other things that slow down the scan will interfere with the perforamance of the machine. The other problem is that an injection molding machine requires a position or velocity profile and a pressure profile and some method of handling the transition between position control and pressure control. This can be done but it is better to just buy something off the shelf that can already do this.

A PLC has little or no application knowledge built into it. Since Agamenon is remote he should buy a package with Good documentation.
Buying a separate PLC, motion controller and HMI is an option but unless Agamenon is going to sell a lot of these it may be hard to justify the time it takes to integrate a package AND document it. If Agamenon does decide to make his own package I would definitely use Ethernet so the shot data can be graphically displayed quickly and easily.

Some of our most critical injection molding applications used the shot data and compared with a standard shot profile for QC purposes.

 

[SNK]

Hire a consultant/integrator.

Really, on the scale that you have indicated, you REALLY should be contacting A) Siemens support SA B) Allen Bradley Support V

You can get integration consulting for free and the prices and software on new process integration is often looked at by the OEM as a "foot in the door". If you are serious about production, make sure that you use quality components and a good engineered process.

As I said before, I have done commissioning in the Mining sector in SA and the support is poor, but growing. That was years ago, I am sure that there are many outfits in Chile, Brazil and others.

 

[maintenanceman38]

Call me for a bid I can retrofit your machine. All I need is a delailed print of what you have, What Valves are variable, And the current Logic of your machine. I can make your machine perform with an HMI and a PLC. I have extensive knowlege in Plastic Injection molding machniery. But I need details, what machines do you want to retrofit, Model and Serial number. Etc. Priviate message only if interested.

 

[maintenanceman38]

I have been around Plastic Moulding Machines most of my life. I can retrofit your machine to am HMI-PLC type controler. But I need details, Is position controlled by an analog device? Or a limit switch? I can consult you. But I need more details like what do you want to be analog? Inputs, Valves, Etc.

send me a pm message please witha phone number to call if interested.
thanks, Corby