Matt Meiser
07-02-2006, 9:49 PM
In addition to upgrading the controls on my jointer and planer, I've also been working on another control upgrade of the entirely unnecessary but fun for me kind. I work for a company that does a lot of automation work. I've been using a PLC (programmable logic controller) to allow me to control my heat and ac remotely through the web using some software I wrote. With the help of a friend, I aquired a new to me Siemens S7-300 PLC system which has a lot more capabilities than the old one. I've completely rebuilt and reprogrammed the control system to have the following features:
Remote Heat/AC control
Temperature measurement for shop/outside/shop office
Shop office ventilation control based on temperature
Email when temperature in the shop or office drop below a certain point, and when AC or Heat have been on for more than a certain number of days.
Delayed dust collection shutdown when using the blast-gate mounted switches to give me time to move to another machine.
Emergency stop on dust collection to override delay.
Audible alarm on dust bin full
Automatic shutdown of the dust collection system when the bin is full, after a delay.
The buttons on the dust collection screen are software duplicates of real button located in a small panel in the shop. The panel picture was taken while I was wiring, and the wiring has been cleaned up since.
Since I usually work with IT and software architecture, this gave me a chance to use some of the other technologies we use and be able to understand them enough to talk the basics intelligently. The same friend now thinks I need a touch panel mounted on the wall of the shop, and knowing him, I'll probably end up with one, so things may change some again in the near future.
Yes, I'm a geek. :eek: :D
Remote Heat/AC control
Temperature measurement for shop/outside/shop office
Shop office ventilation control based on temperature
Email when temperature in the shop or office drop below a certain point, and when AC or Heat have been on for more than a certain number of days.
Delayed dust collection shutdown when using the blast-gate mounted switches to give me time to move to another machine.
Emergency stop on dust collection to override delay.
Audible alarm on dust bin full
Automatic shutdown of the dust collection system when the bin is full, after a delay.
The buttons on the dust collection screen are software duplicates of real button located in a small panel in the shop. The panel picture was taken while I was wiring, and the wiring has been cleaned up since.
Since I usually work with IT and software architecture, this gave me a chance to use some of the other technologies we use and be able to understand them enough to talk the basics intelligently. The same friend now thinks I need a touch panel mounted on the wall of the shop, and knowing him, I'll probably end up with one, so things may change some again in the near future.
Yes, I'm a geek. :eek: :D