Touch Panel / PLC Control

[broncosaurs]

Saw a few starts on PLC touch control but looks as if nothing ever came of them. I just finished changing from gas to an all electric system using temperature controllers (PIDs as beer brew people call them). Being I love to tinker I thought I needed another controler. I started a 6” touch panel /PLC system. Touch screen is a black and white with 5 color white to red back ground. Screen is IP65 for wet hands and wash-down. Most all equipment is from Automation Direct. The system controls a HLT w/ 5500w heater, RIMs w/4000w heater (more on RIMs heater later), Mash Tun w/ 5500w heater and two pumps for liquid transfer and RIMs recirculation. System needs to run on a 30a 240v circuit. I’m finishing up the programing now.

Cost so far is about $850. Missing enclosure($100-200) and one phase angle firing SSR ($15). I’m sure I missed a few more items also.

As time permits I’ll give more info for each part.
http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/Home/Home

Item Code Qty Short Description Price
EA1-S6MLW 1 TOUCH PANEL 6in STN 320x240 PIXEL 5 COLOR BG WHT/PINK 1, 2 & 3/RED $324.00 $324.00
DV-1000CBL 1 MICRO-GRAPHIC AND DV-1000 CABLE FOR AUTOMATIONDIRECT PLCS, 6 FT $19.00 $19.00
C0-01DD1-D 1 MICRO PLC, 8 DC IN / 6 SINK DC OUT, W/ RETENTIVE MEMORY, REQ 24VDC POWER $99.00 $99.00
C0-01AC 1 1.3AMP AC SYSTEM POWER SUPPLY NO POWER BUDGET $39.00 $39.00
C0-04THM 1 4-CH THERMOCOUPLE INPUT 16-BIT FOR CLICK $149.00 $149.00
WMZS2B30 1 SUPPLEMENTARY PROTECTOR 2 POLE 30A B CURVE $18.00 $18.00
WMZS2B06 1 SUPPLEMENTARY PROTECTOR 2 POLE 6A B CURVE $18.00 $18.00
SC-E1-110VAC 1 CONTACTOR 32A, 110-120VAC COIL, 54mm $37.50 $37.50
GCX1251-120 1 SEL 22mm METAL RED N.O. 120V MNTND 2-POS INC-ILLUM $15.50 $15.50
AD-SSR625-DC-280A 2 SOLID ST RELAY 25A SPST VDC INPUT N.O. 24-280 VAC PANEL MOUNT $17.50 $35.00
RS4N-DE 1 CARD RELAY 5A SPST 4 RLYS 24VDC COIL $29.50 $29.50
70620FR 3 RECPT SGL 20A 250VAC 2-POLE 3-WIRE NEMA L6-20 LOCK BLK NYLON $11.50 $34.50
70620NP 3 PLUG 20A 250VAC 2-POLE 3-WIRE NEMA L6- 20 LOCK BLK/WHT NYLON $8.75 $26.25
THMJ-MPJ 4 T/C CONNECTOR TYPE J CONT TEMP 400F MINI FLAT PIN PANEL JACK 14AWG $5.00 $20.00



$864.25


Pict 1 &2 Old System
Pict 3 Touch Main Screen
Pict 4 Touch 1 of two Timers
Pict 5 PLC w/ T/C inputs

 

[trimixdiver1]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f235/bucks-electric-brewery-479895/

Im using a 10" Cmore and DoMore Processor with the brewery on a remote rack thats a 405 base.

 

[ClaudiusB]

Saw a few starts on PLC touch control but looks as if nothing ever came of them.

Looks great!

I have been using Automation Direct displays and PLCs from day one for my toy home brewery including one C-more touch screen for the remote control room.

All local Displays are LCD type.
All brewing functions can be done on the local level or remote.

Remote C-more display screens are mostly dynamic, no information is displayed until required.

 

[broncosaurs]

Boy those are nice.

Could someone move this topic to the "electric brew" forum? I don't think I am automating the system. At least not yet!

Thanks Brad

 

[muhteeus]

This looks like my first idea before I inherited the MicroLogix! Great build! I really love your use of the SOLO Pids. Did you communicatethrough Modbus\RS485?

 

[broncosaurs]

muhteeus, the Solo controllers are stand alone on my current control box. The new control box, touch screen, I am working on I programmed the three PID loops into the PLC. I also programmed the PLC outputs to turn the SSRs on/off as a time base output. With the full program running the time base is accurate (1%) running at a time base of 120ms. The new control box will only have a power switch and the touch panel on the front.

I was reading your thread a while back and was sad when you got the Micrologic.

Brad

 

[broncosaurs]

Moved to "Electric Brew"

 

[andrhamm]

Could you share info on how you make the software for that particular panel? Is there software that makes it fairly straight-forward?

 

[broncosaurs]

Automation Direct has free software for the panel. C-More Micro. The software also can run a "Simulate Project" so you can try the software without buying a panel. The software/programing is about as easy as it gets.

Brad

 

[ClaudiusB]

Could you share info on how you make the software for that particular panel? Is there software that makes it fairly straight-forward?

The software for my C-more panel (Ea-7 series) is $ 129.00.
Basic functions are easy to do.
I use dynamic displays for most of my screens and up to 15 layers deep which can give diagnostic headaches.

Cheers,
ClaudiusB

 

[trimixdiver1]

The software for my C-more panel (Ea-7 series) is $ 129.00.
Basic functions are easy to do.
I use dynamic displays for most of my screens and up to 15 layers deep which can give diagnostic headaches.

Cheers,
ClaudiusB

ClaudiusB

What processor are you using? How do you interface all the text screens? I have a separate EA1 and it talks via 485, but needs to be the master so only one can ride on a 485 loop. How do you do it?

Thanks

 

[ClaudiusB]

ClaudiusB
What processor are you using?

DirectLogic 06

How do you interface all the text screens?

Enclosure door screen is connected to Com1, C-more display is connected to an Ethernet plug in module through the power-line.
Com 2 is used to communicate to a small DirecLogic 05 brick which controls the remote text display.
The text display attached to the PLC I use as a clock in case I open the door or for quick diagnostic.

Cheers,
ClaudiusB

 

[andrhamm]

This thread got me super interested in PLCs and it's all I can think about lately LOL. I looked into a bunch of options on AutomationDirect and really would love to buy the C-More and ClickPLC or something like that, but it gets pretty pricey. Then I stumbled onto RexControls (.com) and, while the software appears to be fairly rudimentary in terms of the UI, it allows you to turn a Raspberry Pi into a PLC. There is pretty full library of ready to go functions including several PID algorithms. The problem is there doesn't seem to be a lot of documentation or community around the product, which has a license that will run you about $150 (required for the advanced functions like PIDs). Does anybody have experience with this company/library/software?

 

[trimixdiver1]

This thread got me super interested in PLCs and it's all I can think about lately LOL. I looked into a bunch of options on AutomationDirect and really would love to buy the C-More and ClickPLC or something like that, but it gets pretty pricey. Then I stumbled onto RexControls (.com) and, while the software appears to be fairly rudimentary in terms of the UI, it allows you to turn a Raspberry Pi into a PLC. There is pretty full library of ready to go functions including several PID algorithms. The problem is there doesn't seem to be a lot of documentation or community around the product, which has a license that will run you about $150 (required for the advanced functions like PIDs). Does anybody have experience with this company/library/software?

There is definitely benefits to a PLC: A PLC is a hardened piece of hardware with hardened software. Linux is not reliable as a PLC. Yes they are more money but Automation direct is orders of magnitude less than Allen Bradley or Omron. The Do More processor that Im using is $400 bucks, but has ethernet, a crap ton of memory, 2000 PID loops and some nice block programming functions, plus much much more. Look to ebay for some racks with digital and analog IO. Just drop in the do more. Oh yea, the software is free!

 

[Synthetic_Brew]

There is definitely benefits to a PLC: A PLC is a hardened piece of hardware with hardened software. Linux is not reliable as a PLC. Yes they are more money but Automation direct is orders of magnitude less than Allen Bradley or Omron. The Do More processor that Im using is $400 bucks, but has ethernet, a crap ton of memory, 2000 PID loops and some nice block programming functions, plus much much more. Look to ebay for some racks with digital and analog IO. Just drop in the do more. Oh yea, the software is free!

The stuff from AutomationDirect is about even with the new Micro800 series/PanelView Component from AB (unless you are using a Click PLC). I priced out a 2080-LC30-48QBB, 2 2080-IF4, and a 2711C-T6T 6" Color PanelView Component for around $1600 in proposal works at default pricing. The software is free and its pretty much Logix5000 Lite. You can integrate the HMI into the project as well so it's extremely easy to do tags.

I'm personally starting the baby steps of putting together a system and I took a day to write the software and build the HMI using those components. It has it's quirks but it's fairly easy to work with if you have used anything from AB in the past.

 

[broncosaurs]

Syntheticbrew, I think you would need to switch the 2 2080-if4 4ch, 12 bit analog in for 4 each of the 2080 tc2 or rtd2 temperature inputs. The if4s 0-10v or 0-20ma would work but all temperature input would need a temperature transducer that outputs 0-10v or the 0-20ma, which really increases the cost per channel.

Automation Direct system comes in around $1145for B/W panel or $1255 for a color. This is for the 06 controller and 4 temp inputs, $200 more for another 4 inputs. Many hundreds less then $1600+. I always wanted to do a AB control at work so I could have a reason to learn the software but I never can justify the cost difference.

The Click would put the cost into the mid $500 range. I would have loved to have the built in pid loops of the 06 instead of writing my own but the cost savings were a lot going with the click. At work I would use the 06 since we have the software. At home use the Click. Another low cost PLC control is EZAutomation, which I never have used.

D0-06DD1 plc $215
F0-04RTDF0-04RTD t/c or RTD in $207
Software $395
EA1-S6MLW B/W 6" Panel $324
. OR
EA1-T6CLEA1-T6CL Color 6" Panel $434

All Click PLC programing software is free.

 

[Synthetic_Brew]

Actually, I was planning on using one the temperature transmitters with integral sensor or external temperature transmitters with a separate probe. I tend to gravitate towards AB stuff because I use them exclusively at work and well, I'm used to it.

(Since you mentioned something about wanting to learn AB)
AB makes highly integrated products nowadays. I'm learning Wonderware at work right now for a job (with ControlLogix PLCs) and it simply does not compare to the integration that FactoryTalk has. I pick my PLC project file and tags can be directly addressed without any extra work. For the Micro800 series and the PanelView Component - both products are integrated into the same software program and parallel development is extremely easy as well.