All-in-one PLC + HMI+ I/O
May 2016
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
The Unitronics Vision controller series welcomes its newest member – the Vision430. The wide 4,3” built-in colour touchscreen brings added value to any application that requires a compact PLC controller with onboard I/Os. A flat fascia with an IP66/IP65/NEMA4X rating houses the touchscreen and function keys.
Each Vision430model offers a unique onboard I/O configuration that can include digital, high-speed, and analog I/Os, including PT100/thermocouple and weight/pressure measurement. Expansion modules enable local and remote I/O at distances of up to 1000 m, making Vision430 a cost-effective solution for applications up to 512 I/Os.
Power features include 24 auto-tuned PID loops to control temperature, level, and pressure. Time-based and immediate interrupt support make controller a natural for ‘rapid response’ applications such as packaging machines.
Built-in recipe capabilities are supported by data tables, which store the parameters required to control a specific process. Data tables also enable the controller to store data logs to a micro-SD card, which also stores application back-ups and allows complete PLC cloning.
Communication options include Ethernet, cellular, and industrial protocols such as Modbus, DF1 slave, BACnet, J1939 and CANopen. In addition, the protocol utility allows Vision430 to communicate via almost any ASCII protocol. The unit is directly accessible via mini-USB programming port, and remotely accessed using GPRS/GSM/CDMA and other IP networks, for data acquisition and program download. Another major benefit is the ability to notify supervisors of critical information via e-mail and SMS, enabling real-time remote management.
The machine operator communicates directly with the application via the resistive analog touchscreen – or remotely, via the free Remote Operator utility – which displays data, colour trend graphs, and attention-grabbing alarm screens. Display options are almost endless, with more than 1024 user-designed screens supported by 12 MB of memory for images and 1 MB for fonts.
OEMs and machine builders profit from intuitive, all-in-one VisiLogic software that enables rapid hardware configuration, PLC, and HMI application programming. VisiLogic includes a full library of drag-and-drop function blocks for complex automation and control tasks, such as PID, and a rich library of colour industrial images.
For more information contact Farrel Sher, AC/DC Dynamics, +27 (0)10 202 3300, farrels@acdc.co.za, www.acdc.co.za
Further reading:
Loop signature Part 2-6
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
This instalment of the Loop Signature series introduces frequency plot theory as a foundation for understanding process dynamics, explaining Bode plots, dynamic gain, phase lag and their relationship to control loop tuning.
Read more...
The rise of software-defined brownfield automation
Schneider Electric South Africa
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Automation Expert is enabling brownfield operators to modernise incrementally, decoupling control logic from hardware to bridge legacy equipment and future-ready operations without disrupting production.
Read more...
Upgrading alarm systems for critical industries
Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
Omniflex’s OMNI16R alarm annunciator platform provides a direct replacement for legacy CSA systems such as MPAS 90 and SA9100, enabling operators in oil and gas, nuclear and power generation to modernise alarm infrastructure without sacrificing the clarity required for safe operations.
Read more...
How DCS can step off the hardware obsolescence treadmill
Schneider Electric South Africa
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
Schneider Electric argues that virtualising DCS environments breaks the cycle of hardware obsolescence, giving plant operators a smarter path to lifecycle modernisation without production disruption.
Read more...
Loop signature Part 2-6
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
The Loop Signature series turns to frequency plot theory, explaining Bode open-loop plots and how dynamic gain, phase lag and crossover frequency can be extracted from test data to inform more accurate control loop tuning.
Read more...
PC-based control in surgery
Beckhoff Automation
Editor's Choice PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
Researchers at the University of Basel are using Beckhoff PC-based control technology to develop a miniature laser robot for minimally invasive bone surgery.
Read more...
IIoT controller for the field and control cabinet
ifm - South Africa
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
The IIoT controller from ifm is a powerful, communicative and flexible PLC solution in machine and plant digitalisation.
Read more...
How the DCS can step off the hardware obsolescence treadmill
Schneider Electric South Africa
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
Ageing servers and unsupported operating systems are quietly eroding the stability of process plants that rely on distributed control systems. Kobus Vermeulen of Schneider Electric explains how virtualising the DCS environment can break the hardware obsolescence cycle without disrupting operations.
Read more...
Centralised control rooms where growth is elastic, not physical
Schneider Electric South Africa
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
Modernised control rooms feature distributed control system architecture consolidated into centralised compute environments. replacing traditional PCs with thin clients.
Read more...
Advanced DCSs preserve what must not change while enabling
Schneider Electric South Africa
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
Next-generation DCSs, such as Schneider Electric’s Foxboro, are preserving the best of the old while introducing the new in a less disruptive manner.
Read more...
printer friendly version