pokeys vs DL06 PLC?

[yahuie]

Hi,

I have been doing a retrofit for way longer than I would like to admit and purchased an Automation Direct DL06 and all the necessary breakout hardware for doing a lot of the i/o on a vertical machining center with a tool changer.  I am just now getting to the tool changer and was thinking about maybe using the pokeys for the i/o instead.  It seems like it might be easier to program it with a brain or macro rather than having the plc handle some of the i/o and the smoothstepper I am using handle the rest. 

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Bill

[borisz]

PoKeys works just fine with brains.

regards

Boris

[Hood]

Bill,
 Pokeys is a great wee device but I would say the PLC is the better option for a tool changer especially as you already have it. Main reason is your tool changer is very likely to be 24v and the PLC can interface directly to that (presuming its a DC or relay out PLC) , with the pokeys you would need to convert the 5v to 24v and vice versa.
The Pokeys is very nice for switch panels and hand held pendants and is a nice price when comparing to a PLC, especially if you want analogue Inputs.

Hood

[N4NV]

I used a PLC (Cubloc) to run my tool changer.  I found it much easier to program than using brains for control.

Vince

[yahuie]

Thanks for all the input.  This might be wishful thinking, but I wonder if anyone has posted a program for a tool changer anywhere.  I haven't done ladder logic in forever.  I know I would have to edit it, but that always seems way easer than starting from scratch.

Best,

Bill

[N4NV]

This is getting off topic, but if you check out this thread I posted the code needed to run my tool turret.  I also posted some code for Mach to talk to the Cubloc.
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50685&highlight=cubloc
It's a long thread so you may have to did to find the information.

Vince

[Hood]

How does the changer work?
Hood

[yahuie]

The whole carousel moves over to the spindle.  I am going through the logic right now.

[borisz]

Do you have any photos?

regards

Boris

[yahuie]

It is a cincinatti Arrow 500.  I just attached a few photos.

Thanks,

Bill