jawolthuis

MrPLC Member
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Everything posted by jawolthuis

  1. CAD Software for Schematics

    You can go the free route with DraftSight which is a great 2D CAD software. You will have to either build all of your own symbols, or download them from somewhere though. There is also EZ Schematics, which is a free download, or ~$100 for the full featured version. This is a minimalist software that comes with a decent amount of symbols, but is not an industry standard. It is simple to use, and requires no big learning curves.   I mostly use Promis-e which is an old AutoCad add-on software that is no longer available. It is powerful though.
  2. I started in VB.NET, and have since moved over to all C#.NET Save yourself some pain and start with C#. There is also a place for C++ (but that gets more into the field of writing programs for micro controllers). There is a guy on Youtube who has a real good series on setting up a very basic SQL database app. The application itself will not be very useful to you, but the principals, and methods are very good. This fellow also expects you to type everything out yourself which is also very good for you. You will learn much more that way. Here is a link to the first video in the series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOJV-Z7cmkc
  3. Current Monitoring

    You will need a Current Transducer. These come in many forms and prices. Google is your friend http://bfy.tw/4KNa
  4. I have an older B and K benchtop...  I have not had it out in years, it is about 2' deep, and 18" wide... I really like the Fluke because it is so handy to haul around. I also found a used hard plastic case for it so that I can throw it in my truck and not worry about it. Here is a nice one on ebay (No it is not mine, or anybody's that I know): http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fluke-123-Oscilloscope-20-MHZ-ScopeMeter-Digital-Multimeter-with-Box-/291634628368?hash=item43e6c74710:g:zYsAAOSwnH1WZwrr
  5. I use a Fluke 123. I know that is above your price range, but I got mine for ~$400 on ebay. If you keep your eye out, then you can find a deal on one.
  6. Strange Program

    You mean the program in the PLC is changing? If so, then it is probably from dirty power, or the PLC's internal power supply is bad.
  7. Very nice! I have never used vb inside Excel before. Thanks for the example!
  8. Okie, Yes, the terminator will do the email as well. Also, gmail will sometimes change their IP, so if you use the DNSLOOKUP instruction before the EMAIL instruction, then you can dynamically configure the IP for whenever google changes it.
  9. Which Fluke loop calibrator?

    I also have the 787. It's a great tool.
  10. Possible to access data in C-More over ethernet?

    You can use the webserver to view the screen. But you need to use the FTP client to log it. Just use the event manager to copy the logged data from your memory card to a FTP server. Example: Install Filezilla FTP Server (Free download) onto a PC on the same network as the Cmore. In the Cmore software, go to your address book, and click the FTP Server tab. Click Add, and enter the information to connect to the server you setup on the local PC. Now go the the Event manager database, and add a tag based event. You can trigger it using the Day & Time function if you wish. In the Action section of the the Event, just click Add, and select FTP, and the server that you entered in the Address book. You can then select the log that you want to transfer over.
  11. Possible to access data in C-More over ethernet?

    If you use a PID Faceplate Trend Graph to monitor your data, then you can set up a tag triggered event to copy the data to an FTP server for datalogging.. Or if you only want to view the data, then you could just enable the web server function of the panel, and view screenshots of the page where it is displayed. There is also the remote screen option to be able to view or control the screen from a PC. This can all be set up to be protected with usernames and passwords for security. If you can tell us what exactly you are wanting to do/view/log, then maybe we can help you with the best method of doing it.
  12. Read and Write data from PLC using ASP.NET

    What PLC are you using? There are many ways to do this depending on the PLC you are using. I do a lot of this using VB.NET through .aspx webpages via custom protocol. A great tool to get you started is http://www.advancedhmi.com/. It is a free library with many built in protocols.
  13. Stepper Motor Driver question

    What size is the stepper motor? The stepper drive I posted above is rated for 24 volt Step/Direction inputs if you check the datasheet...
  14. Stepper Motor Driver question

    I do not know the size of driver you need, but here is one: http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/Shopping/Catalog/Motion_Control/Stepper_Systems/Stepper_Drives_-z-_Power/STP-DRV-6575
  15. Check that the cables connecting your expansion cards are all secure.
  16. Relay Contacts Welding

    Try putting a True RMS amp clamp on the line to see what the inrush current is. You said that the relay is rated for 6 amps resistive, but what is the inductive rating? It sounds like the relay is simply undersized.