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Poll

Which PLC/IO form factor do you like best?

Modular
61 (59.8%)
Brick
25 (24.5%)
Stackable
13 (12.7%)
Other (please comment below)
3 (2.9%)

Total Members Voted: 72

Author Topic: Poll: PLC and I/O form factors...please vote!  (Read 70846 times)

Vernon Leeper

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Re: Poll: PLC and I/O form factors...please vote!
« Reply #30 on: November 26, 2008, 01:28:33 AM »
I like the modular set up, the bricks are good for small simple apps. But then again I started out on the slc100 kinda like a brick, then the micro logics came along, did a few of those. I don't get to do too much programming execpt for what I practice on here at the house and that's just to keep from forgetting how to do it. I think it all depends on the application, I have never got to anything more than a 05 or an slc 1000. I have at the house to play with is an slc 5/03 with 13 slots, 4 are analog, a micrologics 1000 unit, and a D0-05DR. I have been spending more time with the 05, I like it, it has more potentinal that the AB brick.

 I used to use the PCIS software for the slc 100/ 150's till the slc 5 came out then the software was too exspensive for the company to buy. Learned about DS through my brother and been learning it for the past year or so.
BobO,
Where in TN. are you? I'm about 53 miles South of Knoxville, BTW, I have noticed that are more "ville"s here that anywhere I have seen.
Give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach him to fish and he eats for the rest of his life.

BobO

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Re: Poll: PLC and I/O form factors...please vote!
« Reply #31 on: November 26, 2008, 09:06:21 AM »
Vern, we're in the Tri Cities...specifically...Sulphur Springs, a suburb of a suburb of Johnson City.
"It has recently come to our attention that users spend 95% of their time using 5% of the available features. That might be relevant." -BobO

Controls Guy

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Re: Poll: PLC and I/O form factors...please vote!
« Reply #32 on: November 26, 2008, 03:24:39 PM »
Quote
I have been spending more time with the 05, I like it, it has more potentinal that the AB brick.

One huge advantage of the 05 over the AB micros is online edits.  With the AB stuff you have to make changes offline, redownload, then switch back to run mode, so you can't do it while the PLC is running a process, because it will lose track of where it is and/or the process will go out of control during the amount of time it takes to do all that.

The thing I DON"T like about the 05's is the lack of PNP outputs, so I use the relay units (DR's), and if they wear out, I guess I'll buy a new one.  I find most of my applications take at least an 06, so it's hardly ever an issue anyway.
I retract my earlier statement that half of all politicians are crooks.  Half of all politicians are NOT crooks.  There.

Vernon Leeper

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Re: Poll: PLC and I/O form factors...please vote!
« Reply #33 on: November 26, 2008, 09:42:46 PM »
I have had to repair some AB cards, the guy before me didn't fuse any of the outputs, had a coil short and burn a trace on the card. I worked in a Dairy (milk plant) awhile back that had an Omron PLC on on a cart loader, the relays would go out once in awhile, that was easy to fix because they just pop out and pop a new one in on the card.
It's far and few between I get to work with PLC's in the real world but, what I have seen so far is that with an 05, is that it has built in motion control.  I like the fact that, that empty slot has many uses, analog, eathernet, ect, try that with a slc1000. More bang for the buck with the 05-06's, not that I have had to use an 06 yet. Not to mention that the service is unmatched between Host and ADC, everyone else wants you to buy a subscription and I pray that ADC never does that to us. As for modular units, we have a 205 ( I think) on a g-normis vacuum machine, I have had to in the past make some edits, no big deal easy. Tried to do it with an AB unit, it didn't like anything I tried, had to call Rockwell, and wait, and wait, and......well you get it. As for looks, I like the way the AB slc 5/xxxx series look, the ADC stuff looks fragile no offence, ADC still my choice though.
You guys in suburb of suburbs, I live in a rual area, Englewood, same for y'all ;D ? BTW, what contitutes  a  "ville" anyway, population?
Happy ThanksGiving guys, Enjoy this time, I know I have a lot to be thankful for :)
Give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach him to fish and he eats for the rest of his life.

Controls Guy

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Re: Poll: PLC and I/O form factors...please vote!
« Reply #34 on: November 26, 2008, 11:11:13 PM »
I called AB not too long ago with a hardware problem on a SLC and before they'd help me they wanted a SOFTWARE service contract no.  My software IS under contract, but I refused to give them the number, because I don't think they should get away with trying to tie hardware warranty support to ownership of a software service contract.  They eventually helped me with the hardware (rightly), but not without dragging their feet.  What about users who own PLC's and no software?  Is AB saying they don't have a right to warranty coverage on the hardware as a consequence?
I retract my earlier statement that half of all politicians are crooks.  Half of all politicians are NOT crooks.  There.

Vernon Leeper

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Re: Poll: PLC and I/O form factors...please vote!
« Reply #35 on: November 27, 2008, 12:40:47 AM »
What about users who own PLC's and no software?  Is AB saying they don't have a right to warranty coverage on the hardware as a consequence?
Good question, You buy a machine, it has a AB unit, it crashes, your tech works on it, no contract, now what? Buy a new unit, software,contract, and out source the program to some guy who likes to use his/her birthday as files........
Give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach him to fish and he eats for the rest of his life.

BobO

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Re: Poll: PLC and I/O form factors...please vote!
« Reply #36 on: November 27, 2008, 09:51:50 PM »
Yep Vern, there are a great many 'villes' around here. Went to Knoxville for Thanksgiving dinner, and on the way back I noted Knoxville, Maryville, Sevierville, Asheville, Rogersville, and Greeneville...and that was just over a 100 mile drive. I'm sure there are even more.

And yes, even with terrorism, wars, taxes, a crazy congress, a rockstar president, and a pitiful economy...true thankfulness is about focusing on what we do have, not obsessing about what we don't. Clothes, food, a warm place to sleep, safety, friends, family, churches, jobs, hope...given what we do have, complaining about the rest just seems petty, doesn't it?

Happy Thanksgiving all!!
"It has recently come to our attention that users spend 95% of their time using 5% of the available features. That might be relevant." -BobO

Vernon Leeper

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Re: Poll: PLC and I/O form factors...please vote!
« Reply #37 on: December 01, 2008, 09:40:25 PM »
I was born in S.Cali. mostly named after long ago hespanic people, El Monte, La Puente, went to an elementry school named Cortez....... Not sure who they were. Most of the cities ther are named like that, moved here about 15 years ago and noticed that everything or just about had a "ville" after it, no big deal, just curious thought it was funny.

BTW, how many of you guys are hooking Chrismas lights to a plc? or have you done it yet? And if you do, what do(did) your nieghbors think?
Give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach him to fish and he eats for the rest of his life.

PLC Programmer

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Re: Poll: PLC and I/O form factors...please vote!
« Reply #38 on: March 04, 2010, 03:15:22 PM »
I have to agree with the "Shoe fits" comment.  Back in the early days of PLC's
the cost of the PLC was a major component to the project, so designs would center around the one unit.  Now, putting several small PLC's or remote I/O throughout an installation with comm links in between is cost effective and makes constuction much simpler. I've used an 05/06 combination on a machine and I'm in the process of adding another feature, controlled by another 05. Using the 05 has been easier since the option cards have been added.  In the beginning of that series, there wasn't much to choose from.  Now 05 06 and 205 coupled with a micro-graphic panel can handle most control applications.  The nice thing about all of these products is that they work when you connect them together, the parts are less expensive than AB (for example) and the support hardware/software doesn't cost and arm and a leg (and a few other body parts) to have.  Ok, enough on my rant.  Keep up the good work! If I come up with any feature ideas, I'll be sure to add on.

watertech2

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Re: Poll: PLC and I/O form factors...please vote!
« Reply #39 on: May 27, 2011, 11:34:32 AM »
Modular gets my vote.  I have had I/O go bad on the bricks and have had to move the I/O assignment or replace the PLC.  When you have a system w/ many sites, are trying to maintain a programming standard, it's nice to replace a card and be done.

tmoulder

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Re: Poll: PLC and I/O form factors...please vote!
« Reply #40 on: April 18, 2013, 10:46:21 AM »
I voted "other", the fact is, I dislike all three.

I suffer from a protracted and severe case of "Control Cabinet Anorexia".  My ideal machine uses 100% remote IO, IP-67 rated, mounted directly where used and networked back to the PLC via fieldbus.  No sub-panels either.  Sub-panels make me sad.

I would like to see increased support for fieldbus.  Modbus TCP is great, but let's see CanOpen, Profibus, Ethercat.  It would also be a great way to add servo support in software without needing to add additional hardware to the product line.

My 2 bits (bits, get it?  hah!)