SLC5/05 and PLC5 Numeric Display

[EStafford 0]

We are currently running 3 transfer presses 2 having slc 5/05 processors and one running a plc 5 processor. I am looking for a way to display numeric data as in just a batch count on the back of each press. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what type of Led display or perhaps a monitor that would work for this other than a panelview which will not display large enough characters. Im figuring i will have to go DH485 or DH+ out of the plc 5 and ethernet from the 2 slc 5/05's. Thanks in advance to any and all who reply.

[dmargineau 6]

You could try the A-B InView series message displays. http://www.ab.com/en/epub/catalogs/12762/2181376/1239781/1697484/tab4.html They go up to 72 X 9.2 inches with a maximum definition of 240 X 32 pixels; Red LED matrix or Tri-Color LED matrix come as options depending of the display size and definition. The communication modules options include pretty much every RA protocol (ENet/IP, CNet, DNet, DH+, Remote I/O, DH 485) and also TCP/IP. All terminals include a built-in RS232 Serial Port.

[paulengr 44]

For truly large displays, I've found that the various "kiosk" type displays such as Inview or EZAutomation are OK but a pain in the rear to program overall. Panelviews by themselves even with the true large ones are vastly overpriced. So that leaves three options; First you can use a PC with an HMI, and buy a flat panel TV (cheaper than monitors in large sizes) to get say a 40" or 56" display. Most of them these days will take a VGA input. As to the HMI software, Panelview plus is basically a Windows mobile tor Windows CE PC preloaded with Station ME, which is the software that you "see" (unless you break out or bypass it somehow). There's nothing however stopping you from buying your own PC and buying Station ME. Then you can break out of AB's size limitations (and some pricing). Second option is to use a completely different HMI. Ignition by Inductive Automation offers free "standalone" HMI licenses which do the trick. Of course with this option you can use any HMI you are familiar with. In a large operator control room I just recently put together, we have the "wall of monitors"...18 screens, 12 of which are 24" wide screen monitors and the other 6 are 42" flat screen TV's. They have 18 thin clients driving it. It's truly a "glass cockpit", with a LOT of glass. Third, you can look into the Red Lion G30x displays. By themselves, they're not any better size-wise than the AB Panelview Plus's (actually they don't even have the same size available). BUT, an option that you can buy uses one of them to drive a large LED display. So you get the advantages of an industrial hardened display and a "huge display" at the same time. In practice I'd never use a marquee system ever again. The prices are not really competitive anymore, they are tedious to program, and very limited in what you can display. Very large monitors (unless you get up to the baseball stadium size displays) simply aren't that expensive anymore.