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Arduino based PLC

MAC7988

Plastic
Joined
Aug 14, 2017
Hello everyone,

I need to come up with a method to control a lift station and 3 conveyors.

Controls newbie here.

As my budget is tight I want to use an M-duino(arduino based plc) which is easy to wire and use.

Please take a look at all the things is have put together so far. Any advise would be very helpful.
Also If someone can help me program it I would be forever greatful.



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Looks like a pretty basic over/under conveyor with an elevator. Are you looking for suggestions on what sensors you will need? Type of sensors? Actual operation?

Visualize the operation, and at every step in the process, ask yourself how the PLC will know if it is OK to proceed with the process or not, or how you will make those determinations.

If you want help with the programming, get working on a flowchart to give to a programmer. This will serve the purpose of forcing you to think through the operation (so they don't have to) as well as give you something to send back and forth to them.

Honestly, if you can come up with a good flowchart, you can probably find a programmer online at one of the gig sites to do the program for you for about $50.

What's this for? And why are you the guy doing the programming if you don't know anything about programming?
 
I think that by the time you invest in the Arduino hardware with appropriate relays to operate actuators at rated voltages and currents, piece it all together and then work through a program (that I assume some poor slob in the future will need to maintain) . . . you would be miles ahead just buying a CLICK PLC from Automation Direct.

By far the most expensive thing that a user of automation has to deal with is the downtime associated with a critical piece of equipment - as such, it is important to provide automation that is maintainable by whomever is going to own it long term. This should get far more consideration than it does at times and this is the reason why corporate standards exist for automation technology platforms.

If this is going into a plant where you work - then train someone else on how to maintain it or your cell phone number will be written on the inside of the electrical cabinet.
 
Hello everyone,

This is something only used to demonstrate out profile system,lift and conveyor. It will never see any realworld appllication.
I am looking for someone who can help me code it or suggest someone that can help.


Thank you in advance.
 
You will be better off posting this over at www.plcs.net. This is a machining message board.

Also, agree on ditching the Arduino PLC and using a Click. Looks like that m-duino has been made more rugged and has 24V I/0 but the programming will be more difficult and who knows what the reliability will be. Click will be cheaper anyway.
 
Arduino is pure 8 bit light weight stuff. Someones idea to make available to newbies a way to get started. Yeah, once you have started with this junk you are stuck with it.

You can pay about $10 for a 32 bit ARM core microcontroller (Cortex M3). A serial port is all you need with a simple level translator from Maxim (MAX232, MAX3222). The GNU C compiler tool set is freely available, FreeRTOS is a small foot-print real time OS.

Your could buy a STM Discovery board for $10-$20 and have all the I/O port pins available to you. They have a free serial download program if you want to do everything manually.

(A saying that I came up with: PICS are for dicks).

Edit: Maybe not so much, but I still don't like them)

There are 32 bit based pics. You can use a free C compiler called SDCC. That's a good PICer C compiler,
FlashMagic is a free download program that is sponsored some by NXP (was Philips). I use them along with GNU tools.
 
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Hello everyone,
It will never see any realworld appllication.

If I had a dollar for every time I've heard this...

Motion is right: the small PLCs are dirt cheap and if you're doing basic digital sensor in/relay out logic, easier to maintain for the next guy who comes along.

That said, I offer Arduino programming services and I can design any custom electronics you need. I usually have most of the common Arduino hardware on hand. Send me a PM and we'll talk.
 








 
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