PLC's

[Sequoia]

Just curious, what kind of PLC's are you using at your self-serve, and what are you using them for?

 

[MEP001]

I'm using LOGO programmable relays, not exactly PLC's because there's no logic to them. I have one controlling the boiler which I plan to eventually tie into the bays so it won't come on at all if there's no business. I also plan to use one to control the bay lights along with a combination of motion sensors and a signal from the bay. I used one in each bay to kill the credit card transaction when "STOP" is selected since customers wouldn't press the button themselves. My first use was to control the tri-foam applicator since none of the specific purpose controllers would overlap them to give six different colors.

 

[bigleo48]

I use the Logo myself. I use it to multiply coin switch signals to may various times on the SS side. I used it as a delay on/off for my HP pumps. I use it to better interface my WSII and my PDQ M5, etc.

 

[sparkey]

I use an Allen Bradley SLC 5/04. Allen Bradley PLC's are pretty much the standard in american factorys.

I rewrote my entire automatic program on my PLC and threw away the controller that came with my machine. This gives me total control over my wash cycles and I never have to call anyone for service because I can't access their programs. Other than controlling my automatic my PLC controls my doors on my automatic according to outside temerature, hydraulic heater on my automatic according to outside temperature, floor heat, and all lighting in my wash. I also use my PLC to track income. It keeps an income history of each bay for a full year, tells me how much money is in my autoteller, and keeps track of car counts for each of my chemicals. I also have several alarms tied into my PLC (floor heat, Automatic alarms, security, etc) that will call my cell phone if there is a problem. To accomplish this I just took a $5 telephone and used relays to trigger the reciever and redial buttons on the phone.

I have a 6" color LCD touchpanel display for $400 from automation direct that inerfaces to my PLC that I allows me to have full control over my PLC and displays all my information.

 

[MEP001]

I used it as a delay on/off for my HP pumps.

I used the one in each bay for the credit card shutdown to also delay the high-pressure and spot-free pumps, as well as control a blowdown for the bay hose. I know I could have used individual on/off delay relays for the pumps, but I had to run all the functions into the LOGO anyway and I had outputs I otherwise never would have used.