Experience with BRX

[Garyhlucas]

We have a couple of BRX36 PLCs now.  Very impressed with the thought put into this PLC. I especially like the I/O connectors, as well as the way they are organized and are straight in line. I think that the 3-5 vdc imput module is a great idea. It allows one to take advantage of all the cheap Arduino style sensors that are all over the place.  I bought one, then realized my machine used all 12 and 24 vdc! The POM module is a very nice touch too, we've already used one, and will have one in nearly every job.

One has been used to control some pumps and valves for pH control for water in a lake.  The guy doing it thought the BRX 36 was a bit of overkill. When he got done he realized he had only one digital input, and a couple of digital outputs left!

Another was used for an automated batching and cleaning system for ultrafiltration membranes in a municipal waste water plant. A young engineer working with me that graduated last June did the whole project, mechanical and plumbing design, electrical design, built the control panel and wired it, programmed the BRX and installed and started up the system.  He really stepped up to the plate and did a great job with it. This is great as I have been the only one here that can do that and I can now hand off projects.

I am still working on the installation on one in my home built CNC mill/lathe/3d Printer. It is replacing a DL06 and I have used nearly all the digital I/O, had to buy another output module! Also using analog inputs from two temperature probes,a potentiometer, and a speed input from the CNC controller. Have an analog output to a spindle motor controller. Using a high speed output to a stepper motor running the lathe spindle. Using a high speed pulse to synch the lathe spindle with the X axis travel for threading. Going slow as the enclosure, like always, is just too small! Looking for a laser to add on for non metallic sheet material cutting and marking.

We have been using a DoMore with terminator I/O in our waste treatment plant product.  We found that switching to BRX will save us nearly $1200 per system!  We have already finished laying out the new panel in SolidWorks and the schematic has been updated too.  We have two jobs still to ship with Terminator and 3 jobs we've got POs for are getting the BRX next.

Thanks for a great product, and support.

[Evilbeard]

You keep saying things like this and BobO is gonna get a big head!

[BobO]

You keep saying things like this and BobO is gonna get a big head!

Nah...BobO will breath a sigh of relief!

[plcnut]

I have been able to use a BRX on 2 projects so far.
The first was a new system that I would have used a 205 with a DL-250-1 in the past.
The BRX took a lot less room, and the high speed inputs can read the shaft sensors without having to use a special shaft speed sensor. The customer is super happy with the performance of the system (a full 16% increase in the plants hourly throughput due to the upgrade of this single control system). The PID tuning was also much easier with the BRX than the PID's were on the DL-250-1's. It was really helpful also to have the built-in FILTER instruction that would graph the analog input for me. I am supposed to do at least 2 more identical systems for the same customer this coming year.
The other BRX was to replace an obsolete C-H PLC that went bad. The BRX made the programming really easy, and fit in a small enclosure that had minimal panel space.

I really like the spring connectors on the BRX.

I am hoping I can convince another of my customers to switch their projects over from the H2-DM1E's to a BRX. It will save panel space, and allow us to get much more precise with the high speed inputs.

Thanks again Host Engineering!!!!

A couple of pics:
Before:


After (before the panels were installed):

[Evilbeard]

I have been able to use a BRX on two projects so far. I've loved them. I didn't love the spring terminals as much as plcnut (I had wire come loose, so I switched to screw terminals). I do love the POM system though. Totally agree.

I created a dancer feedback unwind drive system. It used MODBUS to connect to a CLICK PLC that is getting analog in from a laser to detect roll diameter. It then uses the roll diameter to trim the gain throughout the roll of material running down. It works great and was very easy to program. It has a great size, so it actually replaced an old analog board with pots and all kinda of pain-in-the-neck adjustments. The machine runs better now than it did when it was new!

The other project was using a BRX to drive servo motors. Two laser sensors detect a very thin film running on a machine, and the servos drive two parts of the machine to keep them in very precise alignment with the edge of the film. The biggest hurdle in the project was finding good enough sensors to detect the film! Setting up the servos and programming the BRX was a snap. I love them.

[Garyhlucas]

I mentioned earlier the 3-5vdc analog io module allowing the use of arduino sensors with the BRX. Last night I was researching arduinos for a project my grandson is doing for high school. I had no idea. How many different and amazing sensors are available for the arduino!

It just occurred to me that a POM module for I2c would make all those sensors usable with BRX. My interest in this is using arduino parts to prototype the automation we are trying to do. When a sensor costs less than $20 my R&D budget isn’t impacted and the BRX is the target system not arduino as it should be for systems that need to stay running for 20 plus years from a reliable supplier.