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How to choose an Industrial Automation Controller
Is It Time to Upgrade Your Control System?
We have spent decades in the industry, yet two of our most frequently asked questions remain:
- When should I upgrade?
- How do I choose a controller?
The answer to each question is rarely straight forward and many factors are considered in the decision-making process. For many, the increasing trend to move systems towards industry 4.0 technologies, propelled by a global pandemic, seem to complicate factors even further.
Click here for a summary article about upgrades- indicators, case studies, communication protocols, economic and performance benefits as well as other considerations, such as how to avoid the ‘automation graveyard’. It also discusses the age old “if it aint broke, why fix it” debate.
Choosing the most effective controller requires careful evaluation of multiple requirements.
By Jeff Payne, Product Manager, at AutomationDirect
There are many important items to consider when choosing a controller for machine and process automation. Breaking down the equipment’s operational needs is a starting point and will help evaluate the range of controllers specified by OEMs or machine builders. Depending on how the equipment fits into the larger manufacturing environment, the automation system can provide a complete solution or just control individual parts.
The controller specified, such as a PLC or PAC, can control a single station, a machine, a process unit, a whole assembly line or an entire plant. If an integrated manufacturing system is being automated, a single large controller using multiple expansion and remote I/O bases communicating via Ethernet can provide end-to-end control. However, another application may require compartmentalizing the automation by breaking the system into multiple, logical sections. In this case, the automation may be split and spread among smaller PLCs or even micro PLCs, depending on the demand and functionality (Figure 1).
Most automation engineers would see this as an irreversible decision as these two choices suggest vastly different platforms, but such does not have to be the case. Some controller families, such as the Productivity Series PLCs, offer several different size options, each using the same programming software (Figure 2). The single programming environment provides application flexibility while saving time and money because programs can easily be converted or moved from one PLC to another PLC for compatibility among projects.
Figure 2: These AutomationDirect Productivity Series 1000, 2000 and 3000 PLCs are different size controllers, but each uses the same programming software.
The difficult part can be deciding whether to run a single program on a large PLC, or to deploy the same project on multiple smaller PLCs, each only executing the parts of the program needed to run the specific subsystem.
To help decide which is the best controller to use in your application, the Table provides a list of factors to consider. It’s more complex than simply picking a PLC, PAC or PC-based controller—size, capabilities and functions all enter into the discussion.
Factors to consider when choosing a controller
• Automation - new or existing system
• Environmental issues
• Discrete devices
• Analog devices
• Loop control
• Specialty modules or features
• I/O locations (local and remote)
• Communication
• Programming
Whether the system is new or existing often dictates many of the critical factors for selection. If there are products already installed, it’s a good practice to make the new system compatible with them. Some controller products are not compatible with others, even from the same manufacturer.
If extreme environmental conditions exist, ambient temperature limits can be a big issue. A typical controller has an operating temperature range of 0 - 55 °C (30 – 130°F), but actual conditions on the plant floor or specific codes in force at the facility may demand a design to a tougher standard.
Learn more in this White Paper (Link to PDF-1.6MB)
Is It Time to Upgrade Your Control System?
We have spent decades in the industry, yet two of our most frequently asked questions remain:
- When should I upgrade?
- How do I choose a controller?
The answer to each question is rarely straight forward and many factors are considered in the decision-making process. For many, the increasing trend to move systems towards industry 4.0 technologies, propelled by a global pandemic, seem to complicate factors even further.
Click here for a summary article about upgrades- indicators, case studies, communication protocols, economic and performance benefits as well as other considerations, such as how to avoid the ‘automation graveyard’. It also discusses the age old “if it aint broke, why fix it” debate.
