So in my qwest to continually make my brewery cooler and more tetchy I was talking to my local instrumentation guy and he is now embarking on a panel build that will control 8 analog inputs and control pids and ssr with a touchscreen interface. My question is complete w programming done and total control over set points and parameters what someone would pay for this? It would contain minimal knobs and just have a touchscreen for all control...$2000, $3000.
Plc panel build interest/pricepoint
- Thread starter isac777
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
Here are a few questions...
This endeavor can get pricey. At my billing rates you are looking at over $1k just for 8 analog inputs and some basic loop control. That doesn't even include the HMI development.
- What PLC?
- What HMI package?
- What size touchscreen and are you looking for a panel mount one? Should it be an all in one PC type or a KVM type? Or do you want something like a panel view?
- Any discrete control?
This endeavor can get pricey. At my billing rates you are looking at over $1k just for 8 analog inputs and some basic loop control. That doesn't even include the HMI development.
The other issue you run into is the cost of software licensing which starts at several hundred dollars and can go into the thousands of dollars.
Here's a link to the one I'm working on.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/electric-brewing-plc-wiring-diagram-311298/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/electric-brewing-plc-wiring-diagram-311298/
Well since I am just the "sparky" and he's the i&c guy I believe he was looking at theautomation direct 4"touch . Yeah he was explaining the Plc/software program and the problems with licensing. Is it just me or is AB super proud of their ****? I am new to this stuff but he knows Plcs and SCADA and I know how to brew a killer brew so I believe it's a good team. He was looking for about $1000 in parts then maybe retail for $2000 or something like that , he was also talking about using a AB 800 , pico, or logo, something like that. I am excited to get started on it
If you stay under 100 words, the programming software is free; however, keep in mind that each Control Loop will use 32 words (I think without looking at the manual). With that being said, you can put it together for under $1k if you part things together via ebay (minus the I/O cards and the HMI). I'm assumming that you are looking at the MICRO-GRAPHIC 4" panel. The only reason I'm excluding the HMI and I/O cards is that those are pretty tough to find on the "gray" market. However, you should stay under $2k for those.
Finally, if you are doing it yourself, labor is "free" so you should be well within your budget.
Believe it or not, AB is very cheap compared to other competitors from a licensing standpoint. You would gask if you saw Emerson's DeltaV licensing costs.
Best of luck and I would say GO FOR IT!!!!
Finally, if you are doing it yourself, labor is "free" so you should be well within your budget.
Believe it or not, AB is very cheap compared to other competitors from a licensing standpoint. You would gask if you saw Emerson's DeltaV licensing costs.
Best of luck and I would say GO FOR IT!!!!
What are you trying to do with the PLC?, just simple temperature control and some timing, and how many functions would the front end HMI need to have.
Well I want to control temp in BK ,HLT, and MT with a possibility of a RIMS system. Another really cool feature I think would be is to install a flow meter for volumes of water. It would have to be like a manifold with solenoid valves or something to be able to measure runnings and mash/boil volumes. I found a flow meter on grainier for like $200. The HMI would have graphics of MT,BK,HLT temps of all those then pumps. A cf chiller with inline temp would be cool too. My big thing is I want to be able to replicate brews easily.....But from what all I've heard is that 75% of how great a beer turns out all happens after you brew so maybe I need to look at fermentation control closer too. I took 3rd in a German wheat for our local pro am and was told to ferment a little higher but now I lack ferm control.
I have already done the automation with PLC, and have written applications to control the opto22 hardware for almost entirely hands off brewing. Automation is nice but I have brewed many competition winning beers on an entirely manual system, recipe, yeast pitching rates, and simple temperature control are the main issues. Measuring volume in a keg or pot is the correct way to approach small volume systems like the home brewers use, flow meters for batch control in small systems are a great idea that is less than satisfactory in practice. On large systems a gallon or two out of 100 is not significant, but a quart in a 3 gallon volume would be.
