How To Design Microcontroller

[keithkyll]

Personally have my doubts that you can work with plcs, definetly doubt your ability to make a plc or anything close.

Yes I know there are many smart relays; which are not plcs but try to act like they are. As I said I doubt your abilities especially since you do not know the difference.

When I had to test people for maintenance jobs I would ask for a start/stop ckt be drawn, have my doubts you could do that.

Ron, why you do bother posting garbage like this? It doesn't contribute anything to the thread, or help anyone. I for one am sick of seeing it.
Please stop posting insults.

 

[S7Guy]

Yeah, I don't get the animosity either. The guy seems to know what he's talking about, and you can be a very knowledgable PLC programmer without knowing how to build a microcontroller (I'll be the first to raise my hand). Devices such as the Logo, although they aren't very powerful, really are PLCs (after all, they are used in industry, and you can program them with logic sequences and make them control something).

Magdyfayad, I'm not sure what your goal is, but I have had coworkers of mine build small microcontrollers in certain sitiuations. For instance, I had an application where I had to sense objects going by that varied in shape and size from hour to hour. I found a sensor that could do it, but even then it required setup from time to time (not to mention it was expensive, and we needed 80 of these things). So, the guy I was working with ordered some small boards off the web in bulk, added a chip that could do analog sampling at a very high rate, and connected an inexpensive sensor to it. He then programmed it to "learn" the characteristics of the objects as they flew by, and it is unbelievably accurate. The end cost was about 15% of what the off-the-shelf sensors were, and five years later they are still working like a charm.

What exactly is your application?

 

[Stationmaster]

You know,

When I first joined up and needed help with what should have been a simple little no-account problem, RSDORAN jumped right in and was most helpful.........but it wasn't late on a Saturday night........Maybe he's a mean drunk. : [

 

[panic mode]

topic starter made several mistakes which resulted in some of the comments.
by now i see plenty of people overreacting. this thread has spiraled
way out of control and calling someone mean drunk is too much. everyone please
calm down and take a look at the rules:
http://www.plcs.net/rules.htm

 

[Stationmaster]

You're absolutely right.....when I read it back it seems nothing like the semi-good-natured jab I intended....(I was actually being facetious)... I was sure everyone would know I was being outrageous. Didn't mean to break the rules...... I most humbly apologize for the use of the term "drunk".

Stationmaster

 

[rsdoran]

Ron, why you do bother posting garbage like this? It doesn't contribute anything to the thread, or help anyone. I for one am sick of seeing it.
Please stop posting insults.

NO. Because it is my opinion? Opinions are not necessarily insults, it can be an insight if someone thinks about why it was made.

I go to the limit to help, I am not allowed to express my thoughts, especially when the help needed is to jar someone into thinking?

I could say more but the threads speak for theirself. If I think I can assist I will post, if I have an opinion I will post, sorry if some of y'all have a problem when I do either.

Yeah, mean drunk.

 

[monkeyhead]

I wish the OP the best of luck. Maybe he'll end up designing something that will bump him up at his own company or be a profitable adventure for himself. Hopefully, if nothing else it will be a learning experience.

As for the rest of this thread (and my real motivation for posting), I'd just like to remind everyone that we all have to start somewhere, and this site is one of the top google searches for PLC related matters. It is advertised as 'LIVE PLC Questions and Answers'. I understand the 'good ol' boys' attitude as there are some long standing (and increadibly helpful) regulars. But it seems like a lot of folks lose sight of the beginners perspective. A guy like the OP is probably well intentioned and zealous as uninformed in his own right. A dose of reality probably isn't un-called for, but it doesn't have to be out-right mean.

 

[rdrast]

Also, take a look at some of the offerrings from:
http://www.rabbitsemiconductor.com/

They have a number of very capable CPU core modules, and some I/O, as well as some small to medium HMI's that will directly interface.

Programming is done through 'Dynamic C', which is a fairly capable C language compiler/linker.

 

[Stephen Luft]

I would be in agreement with Ron.

Being a programmer does not make you a developer. Sure the smart relays appear simple, but just like a PLC, there are several aspects in the design:

1. Obviously the hardware. Designing the circuits for which there are many resources out there.

2. Selecting your processor. Whether a PIC or other micro controller, you will have to develop the code associated with your circuits to make the controller function.

3. Operating code: The internal processor code to make the entire design function.

4. In order to make the device simple you would probably want to develop some type of software interface for programming. If it is for your own use, then software may not be important, however, if the product is being designed to be marketed and resold, then some type of program interface will be required.

So, in order to design a full product, you will require software development skills, circuit design and layout skills and some sort of operating code knowledge, whether Pic basic, assembly or C will depend on the processor and the tools available.

We haven't even touched on the time that will be required to do all of the above, not to mention the research that goes in to sourcing everything required for the design.

If the thread starter can build a better mouse trap, power to him. Just know that there are many players in this market that have extremely deep pockets with engineering departments that have established brand recognition.

Hope this helps.

God Bless,