Parking Barrier...

[Andresito 0]

Hello..I'm new in PLC programming...I have to control a parking barrier like this: You go with your car into a shopping center, the shopping center has a parking barrier, you push a button and the parking barrier goes up for about 20 seconds...Then it goes down. I know that I have to use the RSLinx software because i'm using an Allen Bradley Micrologix 1000 PLC...Can ou help me out with that? Is it too difficult? I dont think so...But i'm not sure....I have to use a PLC because that's a part of the job...I have 3 modules: A PC (software) -> PLC -> Barrier The software is Visual Fox Pro...But it doesn't really matter...The point is that the software sends a signal to the PLC...And it has to recognize it...Then, the PLC has to send a signal to the barrier and it has to go up...Thanks for your time..

[PLCMentor.com 60]

Well unfortunately your question has created more questions than answers for me... I will start with the info I can give. You will need RSLogix500 or RSLogixMicro to program the PLC. RSLinx lite comes with the programming packages (lite means it can only be used with the RSLogix programming software). Realistically a system such as this would just need pushbuttons going to the PLC to operate; however you mention Visual FoxPro. This is where the questions start. Fist let us all know if this is a class. Sometimes classroom projects are created more to teach a point than to be a realistic operation system. Do you understand ladder logic? You will need a basic understanding off ladder to program the PLC. How will the FoxPro application communicate with the PLC? It will need some sort of communication interface to be able to talk with the PLC. RSLinx is the communications interface between the RSLogix softare and the PLC in what I have described above. You can use RSLinx as a communications interface also, but you will need the non-lite version to be able to do this. I am sure Foxpro can handle linking to the RSLinx if you have the proper RSLinx version, but that will be an exercise in itself. I know Foxpro is versatile, but I have never used it like this before so I cant give further information on that setup. I guess I have assumed that this is a class project, but if not then maybe we need to talk about a better design for this application.

[PLC_man_Stan 0]

I would also ask about other input devices as what stops the barrier coming down on the car after 20 seconds? I also don't have much experiance with Foxpro but if you give us a little more info we should be able to help

[b_carlton 61]

I played with Foxpro back in the DOS days. Then it was a non-relational database manager. Then Microsoft bought it and I didn't follow it anymore. To the poster - why use a database program as a front end for a PLC project?