Instrumentation • Electronics
greatest value of the new Micro800 family is the simplicity and convenience it offers users - namely, that it provides ‘just enough control’; users will only pay for what they need.”
Multi-purpose screen
An example of this approach can be seen on the front face of the Micro810, the smallest product in the family. A removable screen - which also doubles as a program storage and transfer medium - is an option as opposed to a standard feature (Fig. 2). Customers can therefore opt for a lower-cost unit without a screen and program the unit via other means, or purchase multiple screenless units and one screen that can be moved from controller to controller as required for either programming or maintenance. This option, Rockwell Automation believes, is not available anywhere else at this price point. Pethick continues: “By offering multiple
Fig. 2. The Allen-Bradley Micro810 smart relay has an optional removable screen that doubles as a program storage and transfer medium.
plug-in modules, developed by us and our Encompass Partners - all of which are common across the line - we can help machine builders ‘change the personality’ of the base unit controller in order to address a multitude of different bespoke scenarios and machine sizes. Indeed, to borrow a well-worn phrase, we can now say ‘there is a plug-in for that’.” A clever design feature
is that the plug-in modules house their own terminals, so installing additional modules does not consume valuable input/output (I/O) terminals on the base unit. Furthermore, the modules mount on the front of the base unit, not the side, so the controller footprint remains unchanged (apart from the expansion I/O modules for the Micro850, which mount on the side). For programming the Micro800 family, Rockwell
Automation has created Connected Components Workbench, a free component-class programming and configuration environment that combines all primary application development needs into a single package. Through this software and ‘building block’-style application packages, customers get an estimated 80 per cent of their required infrastructure, with the remaining 20 per cent being application-specific. As might be expected today, the Connected Components Workbench follows established IEC- 61131 standards, supporting ladder diagram, function block diagram and structured text programming. It also enables machine builders to configure other devices in the system, including Powerflex drives and Panelview Component human- machine interface (HMI) products. The software comes in two versions: Standard, which can be downloaded for free; and Developer, which benefits from additional functions, an offline controller simulation and advanced debugging capabilities. As the smallest of the Micro800 family, the Micro810
programmable logic controller features embedded smart relay function blocks that can be configured via a USB port or the
User interfaces for smart relays S
mart relays have created new opportunities for
machine builders and OEMs, but there has also been a desire for similarly low- cost, user-friendly devices for user interaction and to enable system status to be monitored. The Logo! TD text display panel from Siemens is described as an affordable HMI that enables users to monitor the process and trace faults in the event of a problem arising (Fig. 3). The display element is a backlit LCD of 128 x 64 pixels for four lines of 12 characters per line, though a text ticker feature enables a message of up to 24 characters to be scrolled across the screen. With a built-in horizontal and vertical bar graph feature, any numeric value in the Logo! Controller may be displayed, such as tank level, flow rate, speed, counts and elapsed time. In addition to the display, the IP65 Logo! TD
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relays, has a 3.5-inch screen that is said to offer excellent visibility even when using small characters; this is due to high-intensity LED backlighting that delivers superior brightness and high contrast. With its 2 MB of memory, the MTP05 can store up to 180 screens, and an intuitive symbol library is said to simplify screen creation. Directly compatible with the Millenium 3 SLin/ SLout blocks, the MTP05
Fig. 3. Siemens says its Logo! TD text display panel enables users to monitor the process and trace faults in the event of a problem arising.
includes six buttons for screen navigation and data entry, together with four user-configurable function buttons.
Another display has recently
been introduced by Crouzet. The MTP05 touch panel, for use with the company’s Millenium 3 smart
can control the Millenium 3 and vice versa. Fitted with an onboard battery, the touch panel offers an additional benefit in that it can securely store backup data from the Millenium 3, as well as clock data, the internal MTP05 data and the alarm history in the event of power failure. The MTP05 also archives data on an SD (secure digital) card. If required, the front panel can be protected P65. l
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