 |
All the input / output modules, similar to the industrial PLC concept, are explained in detail.
These controllers can only be bought from Hydrosaveonline and we suggest that you contact us for our free system design and quotation service to help confirm that you chosen the right product for your application as there are a great deal of factors to consider when designing a control system.
Read about how TEC used these products in industrial control systems.
All the products in this Department are available and made to order only. If you have an industrial control problem that requires a solution, contact Roger Hitch by email or phone.
What is a MODULE . . . . . .
These are the electronic device modules that house the input and output hardware drivers that interface with the machines sensors and actuators. They contain, for example, relays and 4-20mA current drivers for outputs and analogue and logic circuitry for inputs.
- Each intelligent module is controlled by its own on board software controlled PIC microcontroller.
- These modules are located on DIN T rails or can be flush mounted, inside the interface industrial housing.
- They can be mounted hundreds of metres away from the controller (or each other) as a serial RS485, 2 wire industrial communications system is used to connect them together.
- The inputs and outputs (both analogue and on / off with opto coupled options) on the modules are called ports.
- Each physical port, of the same type, on each module is numbered from No. 1.
- In the configuration data flexiware file, the user will assign symbols (names) to these ports which should indicate what the port is connected to (i.e. valve name, input sensor type etc.)
- i.e. for a port having a cold fill valve connected to it, the symbol name could be ‘cold_fill’.
- i.e. for a port having an expansion tank drain valve connected to it, the symbol name could be ‘exp_tank_drain’.
- Up to 15 characters can be used for names, including the underscore character which must be used to make the symbol name look like one word.
- These symbol names are then given virtual port numbers.
- The controller is then told on which module the real physical port can be found and to which real physical port number each virtual port number refers.
- Once connected and referenced, in the flexiware file, the commissioning engineer then only has to refer to the name of the virtual port (that he has created) and not have to remember its virtual port or real port number ever again, he just has to remember/look up on which module it is and on which screw terminal.
- This saves port number referencing mistakes by using understandable machine related names rather than just numbers.
Download an example of a flexiware configuration programme.
