ACC Automation: PLC & Industrial Control Learning
Practical Tips and Techniques
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
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
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