Question about PID autotuning

[evol 0]

Hi all, First I am picking up a project that was incomplete by the prior co-op. I have had no documentation on anything for the project from him. No parts list wire schematics to help out.... etc. Now the project. I need to build a contorl system for a reflow oven. it needs to control heater elements and cooling fans. also it needs to be able to have the abilty to add, delete and edit multiple " recipes" . I just seem to be getting the feeling like he was trying to reinvent the wheel. I have checked out a few different things and came across the omron autotuning PID controllers. specifically the E5ER and E5AR. any thoughts?

[gtsuport 61]

I may be missing something here. Can you define what you really need. From the catalog, the E5AR/E5ER is a multi-loop controller, not a profiling controller (ramp/soak). The E5_K-T series supports profiling, and can handle heat/cool applications. Just not sure what you are really looking for. Please provide some more detail, and we should be able to assist.

[evol 0]

Sure. I am looking for ramp/soak function. sorry. I need the ability to control temp rise and hold temp for a period as well as the ability to program several variations or recipes that can be called or chosen. And the ability to add/delete/modify needs to be password protected. The project that I inheritated has a Ab micrologix PLC a panalview 550 for HMI all with some cables and expansion modules as the co-op found he needed. I just feel like he may have been trying to reinvent the wheel. It is a simple process control and the track he seemed to be taken seems to make little sense and much more complicated.

[gtsuport 61]

I don't know that much about Micrologix. It would be a fairly big project to create multiple ramp/soak profiles in a plc. It is possible to do this, I just hope this is not your first project. Good Luck!!