STEM Apps

I am in the position to create multiple copies of a prototype PLC & HMI program I developed for a customer. The customer will build the control panel. He is in the position to sell 50 units or more. I can't seem to find any information on a scheme and a cost for duplicating the program for the customer.  Who has done this before and what should we be considering in terms of cost and protection of the programs to duplicate it multiple times?

Thanks all. Just wanted to explore the experiences of others and see if there was some kind of consensus.I would of course love to get a cut of each machine but in the end I think I'll just end up supplying the PLC and HMI, make any minor changes like IO changes or customer identification, load the programs, lock them if the customer requests and take my markup on the equipment and the time it took to prep and be quite happy with that.Appreciate all your input!!

I'll have to have these types of discussions with the customer when we convert the prototype to a production unit. I think that remote support equipment should be part of the package too as these units will be going to customers with no technical knowledge.

Many opinions but if I heard you correctly, you want a controller a teenager can handle and learn to build on. I would recommend the Automation Direct Click PLC. Many will disagree but here's why I think it is a good choice. Simple instruction set. Won't intimidate a new programmer. Ladder logic is easy to learn. Free ladder logic software. The software is quite functional and easy to navigate. Having been in industrial controls for 45 years, 99% of industrial PLCs are ladder logic despite the building prejudice against it in the last 10 years or so. Download it even before you buy to see if you like it. Supports motion control. Home, position and velocity move. Has high speed IO - good for encoders. Supports Modbus/TCP, Ethernet/IP, MQTT, RS232, RS485 - very good connectivity If you go for the C2 series you can buy them with one or two internal slots to add your choice of IO cards and you can always add the external modules to keep building plus you can connect wirelessly as well as ethernet cable.  

All adapters are not equal. I would suspect the adapter before VMWare. Driver updated to WIn10 recently?  I have the same programming software as you on two VMW 16 (Win7 & WIn10) with no issues. Sort of. If I start up the VM with the laptop wireless activated I most often can not get a connection on the hardware port and must turn off the wireless first. After the hardware port is activated then the wireless can be reconnected. If you're interested in my opinion about serial adapters, I used to use the ATEN for years but have found recently the DTECH is as compatible as the ATEN was plus it has activity lights and a longer cable. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01NCAQRM9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1  

I thought I was some kind of ladder programmer after 35 years, but this program has me licked. I t also had two other serious PLC guys baffled as well although none of us are DL05 gurus. Maybe someone here who is a seriously advanced DL05 programmer can appreciate this program and let me know where I can find two simple inputs. How many ways can you refer to X0 & X1 without ever using X0 and X1 as a reference in your program? LD K30 in V7633 sets the Y0 Y1 outputs to pulsed, X0-X2 to be filtered. LD K6 in V7634 set filter time X0 to 6 ms. Maps to C420 LD K6 in V7635 set filter time X1 to 6 ms Maps to C421 LD K6 in V7636 set filter time X2 to 6 ms Maps to C422 LD K30 into V7637 sets the Y0 to pulsed and the Y1 to direction. I think every trick in the book was used just for fun and not for readability!! Example: A/I 3 & 4 both have discretes hooked up with a resister and then SP612 & SP613 are used in the program. Y0 & Y1 are as you see above, pulsed outputs, Y0 feeds a freq to volt converter to send 4-20ma to the DC drive and Y1 is used as an enable drive bit. Apparently the DL05 PIDs weren't good enough so the programmer built his own as well. Anyway.. I digress. Can you help me find X0 & X1?     300UPGRJ.zip

I completely forgot about this old trick "Guest"! In fact I didn't think it would work on newer Windows programs and systems. I undocked my error window and lost it, never to be seen again but that trick brought it back albeit I lost some customization but what the heck - I'm a lot happier getting the window back.