Industrial Automation

Hi There! I need to turn on-off a set of 6 digital outputs (relay is iok) from a custom designed PC windows program. My client already has a S7 1200 PLC wired that has never used. This would be a good solution as he already has a UTP cable from his computer to where all these 6 machines are Is it easy to interact from a Windows program with a S7 1200 PLC just to turn on-off these DO's in the PLC? Does it need to use OPC or can another simpler protocol be used? If not, is there an easier solution? (Siemens Logo PLC's?)   Thanks a lot!

As most of this community knows Power control is a vital aspect of the UK industry, with the potential to save companies money, improve efficiency, and reduce environmental impact. That is why I open this discussion with this United Automation article blog on:         https://www.united-automation.com/benefits-of-power-control-solutions-in-the-uk-industry/   After reading this article, I wonder what industries are doing to save energy and be more sustainable with planet Earth.    

I want to run some mahines in an industry automatically in different time.Each machine will have a specific time to run.

Hi, I am trying to build a washing machine that can turn clothes in a large 55-gallon bucket with an RPM speed of 60rpm, I do not know what torque or voltage range I should be looking for, if you can provide a ballpark figure that would be helpful.  This will be a high-volume project, and I live in the USA. I was thinking of using gears to increase its power aswell. Thank you!

My CNC router ran successfully for five years (not heavy use) but has been failing since Sep-21 (just over 12 months at time of writing) and I have not been successful in identifying the problem(s).  The machine has been stopping with “Servo drive disabled” messages, sometimes in the middle of a job and sometimes when powered up but inactive! The router is a substantially built, 3-axis, 5’ x 4’ x 12” movement, workshop-built machine, with 32mm ballscrews and made from 25mm aircraft grade aluminium.  I did not build it, although it was built in my workshop, so I am not as familiar with it as if I had built it; especially the electronics (my background is chemical engineering, computer programming and woodwork, in that order).  The friend who did the electronics is not available. The control computer is running windows XP and MACH3 and the motion control is by 400w Estun servo drives and motors.  The long axis (X) has master and slave drives while the vertical (Z) and cross gantry (Y) motion have single drives!  I added a second spindle to avoid at least some cutter changes. I upgraded the primary spindle from a 2.2kW Chinese to a 4kW German one in Dec-19 so I don’t know if the problems are related to this or not.  (The whole machine, apart from the control computer, runs on one 13 amp socket,  so we may be overloading something, but if so it took a long time to manifest). Individual motors have at times got hotter (70-80 deg C) than they normally run at, although this does not always correlate with working hard or the machine stopping. When the problem first occurred, it was on the Z servo drive, and I swapped cables so the same drive was controlling a different motor.  The problem stayed with the drive!  I have had drives repaired a few times but have not got to the bottom of why they are failing. Subsequently, different drives have stopped with MACH3 reporting “Servo drive disabled” and the Estun software, when connected to the offending drive, usually says “A.14 Voltage abnormal” or occasionally “A.04 Overloaded”. I have had suggestions that 19/20 times, this sort of problem is the motor drawing too much current.  I have tried to buy a current clamp meter from RS Components but they have over 400 different options ranging from £30 to £1,600 and their Live Chat Help was not helpful, except to suggest trying forums. Q1.  Is buying current meter(s) a sensible way to go, and if so, which of RS’s options do I buy? Q2. Is there anyone not too far from Wrexham who would be able and willing to help please (paid) as I have not been able to find professional help?   Q3.  The parameters on the different drives seem similar but not identical; I would like to make them all the same!  Is there anyone who could advise please (once the main problem is sorted)

Hi all we cut granite and have a pit for the waste water(with fine particles of granite slate marble limestone quartz) flowing into a pit 2 x 1.5 x 2.5deep [m]. The pit is flat at the bottom. we have a pump which pumps that waste up into a silo which is then filtered and seperated.  The pit with slurry/sludge is getting clogged up with it all time so i am looking to do:- 1. agitator which will constantly disturb the particles in the water 2. build bottom with angles on 4 sides so the slurry can be directed into the submersed pump   Could you let me know what agitator i can buy on RS to do such thing?   thanks martin    

Hello, we are a steel profiling company in the U.K. and we're installing a new plasma cutting machine. The supply needs to be 3 phase, 230v +/- 5%. Can anyone recommend a suitable transformer and where to purchase? Thank you

Hello, I bought a Whale submersible 24v pump (24v In-Line Pump - Premium Flow - Camper Select) I want to run this from a standard UK plug. So 230v. I think I need to then get an inverter to downgrade the power so I can run it right? Can you help me figure out how to do this please? Thanks very much

Hello! I am developing a prototype 12V system comprising a solenoid activated by a PIR sensor. I am looking for a timer device so that the power to the solenoid cuts 1 or 2 seconds after activation. This is as a safety back-up. The PIR sensor should cut out after a minute but it's a bit long and sometimes the power to the solenoid is getting stuck on. Would this timer be suitable RS Stock No.: 178-5026 . Thanks  

It requires a good deal of energy to crank the car's motor, and if a battery is not replenishing its power properly due to a faulty alternator, it will become drained and ineffective. You will hear a clicking noise while attempting to start the car, and the engine will have difficulty turning over.

Hello OK, yes I am a newbie with selecting a stepper motor. I need a motor than rotates 45Deg under 0.1 seconds. How can I find such beast?

Hi there, I was wondering if anyone knew the supply voltage for the sensor linked below?   Link: https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/motion-control-sensors/9094196

Hi, I am a student and I am looking for a hybrid stepper motor with no electromagnetic breaks and a minuscule detent torque.  Unfortunately, whilst browsing the RS website I was unable to find this information as it is not listed in any of the data sheets. The application of said motor is for a double pendulum. A motor at the top in the base of the pendulum will theoretically (mostly) smoothly move and exhibit natural pendulum motion whilst also having the opportunity to be activated from electronic input. By turning the motor on for a split second, applying the rotational force on the body and then turning it off again as soon as possible, ideally, the natural motion of the double pendulum will be observed.

Hi there everyone, A bit of a fish out of water experience being here for me. I am in no way an engineer or designer in any form. I have a condition in which LED computer displays, and LED bulbs in homes, shopping centres, and restaurants, cause me severe migraines, stress, tinnitus and dizziness. I am not the only one, but the issue is not common enough for large display and lighting manufacturers to care. With everything from street lights, to phones and even, car displays becoming LED backlit (even OLED), I am REALLY struggling. There is a forum to which I beling that discusses these issues and one of the posts recommends building an oscilloscope to detect the flicker that LED lights and displays emit.For me it is the PWM/flicker, blue light and dithering from bulbs and displays that cause me the issue, so this oscilloscope will help me identify which bulbs I can use at home, which indoor places not to enter, and also which displays and display drivers/PCs to purchase. I was wondering if there are any South Africans that could help be build this, real oscillospcopes are so darn expensive and I cant currently afford them. Here is the post from the forum. https://ledstrain.org/d/312-homemade-oscilloscope-to-detect-pwm-diy-guide   Thank you in advance.

Hi, What taper bush outside diameter size would I require when using this pulley: https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/belt-pulleys/0183568 Stock No: (018-3568) For some reason, RS are unable to tell me themselves. Thanks, Chris