ACC Automation: PLC & Industrial Control Learning
Practical Tips and Techniques
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
People often ask “What is a PLC?” and “PLC Meaning”. A programmable logic controller (PLC) is a piece of hardware that isolates inputs from outputs. Programs are written to look at the inputs solve logic and set the outputs to perform work. Today we are going to look at the basic fundamental way we program. … Read more
Master cylinder control with programmable 500-step sequences! Learn to build a 7-cylinder sequencer using AdvancedHMI and Modbus TCP. Full tutorial included. We will continue the series by looking at a sequencer controlling seven cylinders that can be taught. The cylinders can be programmed by the operator from the AdvancedHMI screen. You will be able to … Read more
We will now look at the Game of Simon for our part 5 in this series of building a PLC program. Learning all about bit manipulation and sequencers Simon is a memory game introduced in 1978. It has four colored buttons, each producing a particular tone when it is pressed or activated by the device. … Read more
We will now create a PLC with HMI Training and learning environment. We will use the Automation Direct Do-More programming software tied into the Advanced HMI learning package via Modbus TCP. All of the software is free and fully functional. Learn PLC programming and use a powerful HMI (Human Machine Interface) easily and freely. Setting … Read more
Manufacturers have software to program the programmable logic controller (PLC) or the human-machine interface (HMI). However, there are a few free tools that will help in the development of your PLC programs. We will look at three software tools and show how beneficial they can be to you. Free PLC Software Tools Synergy – Share … Read more
Sending email messages from the PLC sounds like an easy task. However, very few applications do this on the production floor. This is probably due to the networks involved, and authentication can be complicated. In our example, we will use a restricted Gmail SMTP server so that no authentication will be required. We will walk … Read more
Takt time is the beat of manufacturing. It is the rhythm of the company for making products or delivering services. Do you know what yours is? Let’s look at takt time and determine how to use it to our advantage. What is Takt Time? (Discover Takt Time) This is a German word taken from beats … Read more
PLC programs are typically written in a particular application on a personal computer, then downloaded to the PLC. This downloaded program is similar to compiled code to keep the program efficient. The program is stored in the PLC in battery-backed-up RAM or non-volatile flash memory. Five Different PLC Programming Languages Albert Einstein said, “The world … Read more