Not All Control Integration Is EqualIntroductionI wonder how many readers have had the benefits of a well-automated production system that just operated seamlessly when recovering from power outages or operator mistakes? Maybe there is another segment that has had to suffer the problems caused by a poorly designed control system. Maybe some have experienced both. Is it just luck or is there some science involved?Information Gathering & PlanningAt the very start, it is important to work at gathering all the data you reasonably can to deliver a proposal that fits the end-user’s needs and expectations. This deliberate, up-front communication with stakeholders allows us to determine the client’s process and how that process relates to the client’s business and project goals. From this collection of information, the Control System Integrator (CSI) can develop a Design Specification Document that can be reviewed and agreed upon by all the stakeholders before even starting the Design Phase of the project.Contingency ManagementHaving nailed down the core of the deliverables for the project, it’s time to consider what potential contingencies need to be incorporated into the design. Unlike database programming where …
What about Rockwell’s AOIs
So What Tool To Use?Rockwell Automation’s AOIs (Add-On-Instructions) – the Pluses and Minuses Can you trust an AOI? How do you know that? Why use an AOI in the first place? These don’t seem like outlandish questions so why don’t we dive into the subject and see what happens? First of all, let me acknowledge that anyone interacting with the program whether that be a developer or maybe maintenance personnel, will have to spend a little time learning how to navigate among the UDT’s the AOD’s and finally the AOI’s. (We’ll sort out the alphabet soup in a little bit.) Let’s also discuss the need to properly validate an AOI. You have to have tested the AOI thoroughly enough to trust that it reliably does the job for which it is intended. I think most users of the Rockwell Automation ControlLogix family of controllers are familiar with User Defined Types (data types or UDT’s). It seems to be common practice for developers to define UDT’s to organize the properties associated with something that is repeatedly used within an application’s program such as locations or an …