ACC Automation: PLC & Industrial Control Learning
Practical Tips and Techniques
Previously we used VB6 (Visual Basic 6) to implement the Omron Host Link Protocol to communicate to our programmable logic controller. (PLC) In part 2 we used Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) to accomplish our host link serial communication. We will now look at using VB.Net to establish and retrieve information in and out of … Read more
Acc Automation We would like to take a few minutes and reflect on the past, current and future of ACC Automation. You have help us succeed in our best year yet. Starting off we learned how to: Create a PLC with HMI Training and Learning Environment Free – Utilized the Do-More Designer Software and the … Read more
The Omron C20K, C28K, C40K, and C60K shoebox programmable logic controllers have been discontinued since March of 2002. These Omron ‘K’ series PLCs were popular controllers and have been in installations for over 25 years. We will take a look at this Omron PLC and review some troubleshooting techniques. Planning for the eventual fatal failure … Read more
Understanding how the PLC will scan and update your program is critical in programming and troubleshooting your system. Typically a PLC will solve your logic from left to right, top to bottom. The status of the memory from the previous rung, are available for the next rung to use. We will look at a few … 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 time and date into a Microsoft Access Database. We will log every minute into the database with the information that we collect from the PLC via Modbus TCP (Ethernet). All code will be done and shown so you can implement this in … 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
We will continue the series by looking at a sequencer controlling seven cylinders that can be taught. The cylinders can be operator programmed from the AdvancedHMI screen. You will be able to select what cylinders to activate at each step and program in 500 steps. Our PLC will be the Do-More from Automation Direct. Here … Read more
I have been recently asked how you can move data conditionally on an excel spreadsheet once the information has been obtained from the PLC? Monthly data was being collected from the PLC and put on an excel spreadsheet using Omron CX-Server DDE. They wanted at the beginning of each month to move the data 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