Month: December 2017

Choosing the most appropriate PLC

Joe Kaminski Leave a comment

As many machine automation professionals know, deciding on which PLC to work with can be one of the most difficult decisions you have to make when organizing your control system.  There is no one size fits all equation, so are here are some guidelines I use.

Brand –   Many of the major players such as have small, medium, and large-scale PLCs.  Always consider when brands the end user already is using.  Things will always go smoother if the maintenance personnel is already accustomed to the brand of PLC you choose.  Also, try to pick a brand that will have stellar local support for the end user if you are not in the area.

Sizing – Sizing a PLC is imperative to the success of your project.  If you go too small,  you may max out your I/O (such as this Modicon Quantum I/O)on changes and additions.  On the other hand, if you go too large,  you may blow go over your budget. Leaving room for expansion is ideal, but, in the long run, going over your budget is not practical.

  • Count up your:
    • Discrete input points
    • Discrete output points
    • Analog input points
    • Analog output points
  • Communications.   regularly have a port available on the PLC to communicate with it from your laptop without disconnecting other devices.  With modern PLCs with several communications methods, there is no reason for this to happen.
    • Will you need remote I/O?  This can reduce installation time and troubleshooting in the long term.
    • Will your system utilize an HMI?  How will you communicate with it?
    • Having a way to remotely monitor your PLC is becoming standard practice.

MRO Electric and Supply has new and refurbished Omron and Siemens products available. We also offer repair pricing. For more information, please call 800-691-8511 or email sales@mroelectric.com.

Updated on May 18, 2020 by Brian Hughes

Control Market & Industrial Automation Trends

Joe Kaminski Leave a comment

Control Market & Industrial Automation Trends

Industrial Automation

Vendors Will Need to Advocate Portable Applications

The lack of multivendor portability of applications is an enormous issue for those in the automation industry. The operators behind the automation architecture initiatives understand that without open ecosystems, providing portable applications between vendor platforms, revolution is stifled.  Nontraditional suppliers are already offering products that are programmed with IoT software.

Edge Devices Will Blossom

The rapid rise of the Internet of Things concepts and technologies, including high power/low-cost processing and communications technologies, is enabling new intelligent nodes, which operate at the network edge to improve manufacturing performance and efficiency. This will be a growing trend.

The quick rise of the Internet of Things ideas and technologies is empowering state-of-the-art knowledgable nodes, which operate at the network edge to polish manufacturing performance and efficiency.

Omnipresent Smart Sensors

Smart sensors and control devices have been proven to produce aid by yielding increasing amounts of contextual data. Because of the most recent IO-Link addition gaining quick adoption, the cost of implementing smart sensors has decreased immensely. Along with these are Ethernet sensors. Ethernet sensors communicate using industrial and related formalities, which contribute data for automation and communicate directly with business systems. Industrial applications have also begun to use Bluetooth sensors.

Collaborative Robots Will Become More Affordable

As many of us know, the number of collaborative robots dramatically increased in 2016. These newly-established light and inexpensive robots are engineered to operate cooperatively with people. They are also intended to incorporate vision systems along with state-of-the-art software to provide self-awareness. These robots have average costs of under $40,000.00, making them suitable for an enlarged number of tasks. These robots are evolving similarly to how personal computers have- providing a product with less power than larger offerings, but adds value for a larger number of users.

Internet of Things (IoT) Technology Will Slash Automation Costs

Talk of the Internet of Things (IoT) theories, and the technology influencing the industry is starting to feel very real. The progressing maturation of technology and merchandise is stimulating the Internet of Things with fastened innovations including higher-powered processors, analytic software, sensors, cloud computing, visionary systems, and more. All and all, this will likely result in more economical and higher performing industrial automation systems.

Thinner Architecture Will Come to Automation

As many professionals in the industrial automation space know, 2-3 layer automation systems are beginning to occur, resulting in increased performance and less software maintenance prices. This trend is becoming more and more common, with computing being driven down into more handy controllers, intuitive instruments, and driven up to plant level computers and cloud-hosted applications.

MRO Electric and Supply has new and refurbished products available. We also offer repair pricing. For more information, please call 800-691-8511 or email sales@mroelectric.com.

Updated on May 14, 2020 by David Link

Perks of Operating Motors With Drives 

Joe Kaminski Leave a comment

Perks of Operating Motors With Drives

drives and motors

MRO Electric and Supply has new and refurbished FANUC motors and Servo drives available. We also offer repair pricing. For more information, please call 800-691-8511 or email sales@mroelectric.com.

Adjustable speed drives (ASDs), or variable-speed drives (VSDs) is used to describe equipment that assists to control the speed of machinery. Usually, they are using in mechanical equipment powered by motors.

The drives offer truthful electrical motor control enabling motor speeds to be increased, decreased and maintained.

Save On Energy:

Due to energy consumption, centrifugal fan and pump loads operated with versatile speed drives are reduced. The horsepower needed to operate the fan is cut by a much larger factor if the speed of the fan is cut in thirds or in half. As everyone knows, energy savings are what machine automation professionals yearn for.

Controlled torque limit:

By using an adjustable speed drive, machinery can be protected from any damage that may occur. The specific amount of torque applied by the motor to a load is able to be fully controlled.

Controlled Starting Current:

Usually when an ac motor is started “across the line,” it takes about as seven-to-eight times to start the motor and load.

 By utilizing an adjustable speed drive, the considerably reduced starting current expands the life of an ac motor. The benefits are less wear & tear on the motor which translates to extend motor life and less motor rewinds.
Governed Stopping:

Governed stopping backs up diminish product loss because of machine-driven wear and tear attributed to shocks to the process.

Reverse Operation:

The requirement for a reversing started is mitigated in regards to utilizing an adjustable speed drive. The reason being is the output phases to the motor can be morphed electronically. Removing the reversing starter terminates its upkeep expense while also minimizing panel space.

Decreased Power Demand on Start:

To begin an AC motor across the line, one is going to need much more power compared to beginning an adjustable speed drive. This is only the case at the start because the power to run the motor at load would be the same regardless of its variable speed.

Adjustable Operating Speed:

Process automation and implementing changes in a process is allowed due to deploying an adjustable speed drive. This also enables beginning at a shortened speed and allows remote acclimation of speed by process controllers.

Removal of mechanical drive components:

By using an adjustable speed drive, the likelihood of needing costly mechanical drive components like gearboxes can be mitigated. The AC drive is able to transport the high and/or low speed required by the load with a consistent speed between the motor and load because it’s able to function with an infinite variable speed.

Updated on May 14, 2020 by David Link