ACC Automation: PLC & Industrial Control Learning
Practical Tips and Techniques
garrys 
So far in this series, we have discussed the Click PLC System Hardware (Video) and Installed the Software (Video). Today we will be establishing PC to PLC communications. This will allow us to program, edit or alter the way in which our Click PLC will function.
Previously we discussed the Click PLC System Hardware – Video. Today we will be installing the free software required to program the PLC. This includes the actual program and communication drivers. The current version of the Click Software programming package can be downloaded here. Installation of this package is similar to the instructions below.
Many people ask me what I do when looking at a new PLC model or system. My approach is very straight forward and we will view this in action with this Click PLC series. This series will go from examining the hardware to programming and communicating to the PLC in several ways. If you have … Read more
We will be looking at and explaining IP Addressing, MAC Addressing (Physical Address), Subnets, and Subnet Masks. Communication using Ethernet usually revolves around the Open Systems Interconnection model (OSI model). This model was made for computing systems to communicate without regard for the underlying internal structure and technology. IP Addressing Analogy Think of it like … Read more
Deploying an AdvancedHMI project on the industrial floor sounds like an easy task, but there are a few things that you should consider. The HMI (Human Machine Interface) user interface will run on a computer. The industrial environment is one in which temperature, dust, electrical noise, etc. are always present. This can also be combined … Read more
Using Visual Basic 2015, we will log three holding registers from the PLC, along with the time and date, into a Microsoft Access Database. We will log every minute to the database, including the information we collect from the PLC via Modbus TCP (Ethernet). All code will be done and shown so you can implement … Read more
Modbus RTU will be the serial (RS485) method in which we will communicate between the AdvancedHMI Screen and the Automation Direct Solo Process Temperature Controller. We can address up to 247 (Solo 1 to 247) devices on this master-slave protocol. A maximum of 32 devices (Nodes) on the network can communicate to the master. A … Read more
The SOLO Temperature Controller is a single-loop dual-output process temperature controller that can control both heating and cooling simultaneously. It is available in 1/32, 1/16, 1/8, and 1/4 DIN panel sizes and is UL, CUL, and CE-approved. There are four types of control modes: PID (Auto Tuning (AT) function) – Solo Control Modes P stands … Read more
We will be installing a USB to rs485 installation on our computer. The USB-485M is a 2-wire USB to RS-485 serial communication adapter for RS485 use. It does not require an external power supply or complicated configuration. It has a Type A (plug) USB connector for the computer side and a universal female RJ45/RJ12 modular … Read more
We will be creating an HMI (human machine interface) login screen for the cylinder program that we developed previously. BUILDING A PLC PROGRAM THAT YOU CAN BE PROUD OF – PART 6 Our program had a Run, Jog and Teach mode for the cylinders. Our user will login with a user name and password. Based … Read more