Entries for the 'PLC Hardware' Category

If you find yourself working with Analog IO on the Siemens S7-1200 for the first time, you may wonder how and where to start.  Here are some basic tips for working with Analog IO on this PLC platform.  For the purposes of this blog, I will focus on implementing 4-20mA inputs and outputs, but the concepts should apply to other signal types as well. Configuring Analog Input/Output Models:... [Read the rest of this blog...]

I recently had the opportunity to attend my first Siemens technical conference. The conference, called SITEC, took place May 16-20 in Atlanta, GA, and Kristie Shea and I represented DMC. SITEC is Siemens’ technical conference where solution partners like DMC, distributors, and internal Siemens staff learn about the latest Siemens software and hardware technology solutions. I had a great time seein... [Read the rest of this blog...]

I recently had the opportunity to spend a few days at Yaskawa America’s North American headquarters to sit in on an A1000 Application Programming class. As a YaskawaSolution and Service Provider PLUS, many DMC engineers have extensive application programming experience using Yaskawa’s inverter drives in the industrial workspace. In addition to being a Yaskawa Solution and Service Provider, we have... [Read the rest of this blog...]

 The Siemens S-7 300 line of PLCs has about a million great features integrated into the programming environment. After I recently inherited a PLC project where some (many) of these were not implemented, I thought it might be a good idea to do a recap on some of the more useful functions Step7 has to offer us. By far one of the most useful, and sadly underutilized, capabilities available to ... [Read the rest of this blog...]

DMC just attained a rather significant milestone - we now have eight people who have met all of the requirements for the Global Technical Certification in the SIMATIC Technology areas of S7 PLCs, SIMATIC HMIs, and SIMATIC Networking. This is signifcant from several points of view.  The first is that the certification test is, quite bluntly, pretty darn hard - I think the pass rate is le... [Read the rest of this blog...]

Last month DMC’s Nick Shea presented a webinar in conjunction with Siemens Industry, Inc.  The topic, An Unbiased Comparison of the Siemens SIMATIC S7-1200 and AB (Allen-Bradley) MicroLogix, drew an audience of over 400 registrants. Nick’s presentation focused on providing an independent analysis of both platforms from both a technological and benefits-oriented perspective.  Its aim i... [Read the rest of this blog...]

What was the best part of my trip to Charlotte, NC last week?  - Watching the Blackhawks Stanley Cup game 6 on a massive screen in the NASCAR hall of fame after the Siemens award ceremony.  Very surreal...and totally awesome! Yes, Siemens really knows how to put on a great event. Last week was the 2010 Siemens Automation Summit, held in beautiful Charlotte, NC.  The Siem... [Read the rest of this blog...]

In RT-101: Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS), I provided readers with a brief description of the many benefits that systems running an RTOS can provide in harsh and demanding environments.  The bigger question is: in an industry saturated by PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers), PACs (Programmable Automation Controllers), Field Point controllers, Microcontrollers and many others, why should... [Read the rest of this blog...]

 Eric Nielsen’s Real Time blog did a good job of hitting the major strengths and benefits of any system based on a controller running a Real-time operating system.  Here I’ll get into a little more depth, specifically for the capabilities these systems give in regards to distributed execution.

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Siemens and Rockwell Automation are two giants competing in industrial automation technology today.  Rockwell (aka Allen-Bradley) seems to be more popular in the US market, but Siemens has a larger international customer base.  A cursory Google search will reveal that there is no lack of debate among automation professionals over which one is preferred.

As someone who uses both platforms regularly, I would like to compare one of the key differences between them - function blocks.

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In many industries, shaftless drive technology has replaced the old mechanical drive systems. Instead of using mechanical gearing to force one axis on a machine to follow another one, servos are used. The servo technology reduces many of the flaws of a large mechanical gearing system as well as provides a lot of flexibility. This technology is in heavy use in industries such as the automotive, pac... [Read the rest of this blog...]

Since their conception PLC programs have been founded on simple programs. However in the past few years automation requirements have grown more complex and demanding, resulting in PLC manufacturers beginning to include some higher level programming concepts in their software packages.   

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Here are some simple guidelines for troubleshooting and working with Analog IO.  Although these guidelines are intended to help you think about the process of troubleshooting, this process will surely catch any specific issues you encounter.

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We are frequently asked to work on PLC systems for clients that we did not develop.  The job could be troubleshooting an issue or adding a new feature to the system.  Working with unfamiliar code has its own unique challenges, although we take pride in our ability to do so.  Here are some things you should keep in mind when asking an integrator or even your own internal maintenance ... [Read the rest of this blog...]

For those of us who appreciate and harness the power of indirect addressing in Siemens S7 300 and 400 level PLCs, we were sad to hear that this functionality was not supported in the same way for the new Step 7 Basic software for S7-1200 PLCs.  As of Service Pack 2 for Step 7 Basic 10.5, however, Siemens has added array indexing functions that get you closer to indir... [Read the rest of this blog...]

Many consumers, including myself, have tapped into the ever-growing functionality of mobile internet.  Many people leverage this infrastructure for their mobile phone.  Others are beginning to use WiMAX connections for their PCs.  Not to be out-done, PLCs are also capable of communicating through wireless data plans.

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There are certain control systems, such as in nuclear power plants and airplanes, that cannot be disabled or shut down, even momentarily, because of the threat to people’s lives. In these applications, a redundant control system must be in place to take over instantaneously if the primary system fails. I recently deployed one such redundant control system for train tunnel ventilation at a major i... [Read the rest of this blog...]

In my final post on the IEC 61131-3 programming standard I will explain the importance of using Data Structures.  Organizing your data upfront will allow you to fully utilize the power of your PLC and will save you a significant amount of time and energy later.

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Ever wanted to use those very nice looking Siemens touchpad HMIs with a third party controller Siemens doesn't officially support? On a recent project I was presented with the following scenario: a customer already had several Siemens touch-screen HMIs in stock, and wanted to use one to help operators control an Elau motion controller. Of course to do this I had to get the HMI and controller to ta... [Read the rest of this blog...]

In the 3rd part of my series on the IEC61131-3 programming standard, I will explain the huge benefits of Function Blocks.  To learn why you ABSOLUTELY must use Function Blocks to maintain your competitive edge, read on...

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