Density vs Termination

[BobO]

Ok...current thinking, barring unforseen marketing/engineering issues...

Design the housing for the LEDs on 5mm pitch...turns out that we will be able to fit 16 LEDs. Determine what is the best combo of 8/10/12 point modules and build it/them on 5mm, so LEDs will be sitting next to screw head. Also build 16 point modules with 3.81mm, so we'll have status for all points, but they won't line up exactly with screw heads but should be close.

We have an answer for the folks that can't make the lower density modules work, but, for the majority that won't require more than 132 points locally, we have a micro solution with meaningful terminations.

[jwbaker3]

We will build a system in our panel shop and ship it to the customer. Some times the customer does the field wiring, most of the time our tech or the OEM does. We always use a terminal block for the field wiring. Zip links save us wiring time in the shop and yes they are larger than a terminal block and take panel space, but it is not at the PLC and I normally have the space at the bottom and sides of the panel for them. If we were doing the panels for in-house use we may do them another way. Also I would not want the type of card that requires the Zip link but one that the zip link will work with. We make custom labeling for the zip links with the wire numbers on them so the customer of our field tech wires number to number. We have found it to be very cost effective and better for our customer.

JW

[BobO]

So what I'm hearing is that those who need the density use Zip Links, so the terminal size is irrelevant, and those that wire to the terminal prefer the 5mm. I can work with that.

[ATU]

But sometimes you need the density but can't find space for the Zip links. So make sure that when you order a 16pt module there is a field wireable connector on it. AD sells some high density modules and its not an option to wire the module directly.

[Controls Guy]

I [almost] never use ZipLinks for the reasons previously mentioned (and also the fact that a lot of my I/O is often in the cabinet rather than being field devices).

One thing I've done quite a few times ATU, like on the 205 32-pt modues, is that ADC sells a ZipLink cable with flying leads on the back end.  I'll use those with a high density module and wire the individual conductors to wherever they're going in the cabinet or adjacent cabinet or whatever.  I'm doing a project like that right now, in fact.

And yes, as long as it's physically possible, I'd like connectors supplied with or at least available for all modules regardless of density.

[BobO]

But sometimes you need the density but can't find space for the Zip links. So make sure that when you order a 16pt module there is a field wireable connector on it. AD sells some high density modules and its not an option to wire the module directly.

We have no plans for 32pt modules and everything will be field wire-able. If we do a multi-axis CNC-type motion module, it may require something like the 32pt modules due to the high number of terminations required for the large number of line-driver ins and outs, but we have no specific plans for that at this time.