Remote I/O AB Point and Siemens ET

General
1

Other than PLC cables we also make PLC trainers, I offer a Point I/O trainer and only sell a few a year so other than wondering why so few I would like to know what are your thoughts on remote I/O, do you use them?

I was thinking about offering a Siemens version but if the Allen-Bradley dont sell I doubt if the Siemens will sell also if I was building a Siemens system why not use the new G2 PLC as a remote I/O?

I built a system that used a Click Plus PLCs (100ish) as a remotes and messaged a BRX and that worked out good.

2

We exclusively use Point I/O on all of our machines. We went away from in chassis I/O. The size of the platform works well, the I/O density is fine for us. Using Point I/O simplifies many things for us when customers spec different PLC’s (1769/5069/1756).

3

I use Point I/O

But in reality once I knew how to use it why would I need a trainer?

Seems like a limited market to me.

4

Siemens has better options I think, their software TIA Portal will program the 300, 1500 and 1200 (also HMIs) so in comparison its like Studio programming CLX, CompactLogix and another line that would cost less than the CompactLogix

I like the L16ERs but they are not cheap so it makes sense having Point IO to save the hardware cost

I was just wondering if it would be good to make a Siemens ET trainer?

And yes the majority of my customers are schools or engineering that are learning and I would also say 99% of my customers could build their own they buy mine just for convenience

5

Before I retired, the majority of my work was in process automation (mostly chemical plants) vs factory automation (machines/skids). Process automation projects are usually larger, and remote I/O is very common. Having worked with Siemens and Rockwell, I preferred Siemens for large installs (PCS7).
IMHO trainers are there to teach you the basics, and you’re not really ready for larger systems with remote I/O yet. Once you get into larger systems, you don’t really need the hands on training of a newb. So no reason to buy a remote training system.

6

Yep I sell a lot to schools and would think they would want to treach a remote IO in the class… lately to a lot of high schools so understandable that their budget would not allow, wish my high school thought PLC programming when I was in school

I was a little busy at that time anyway

7

Remote I/O is very widely used in our facility. I would guess that less than 10% of that is Allen-Bradley anymore though. We have started to get away from the 1734 and 5069 Point-IO systems more, and are moving toward IO-Link blocks and things of that nature. The modularity of these systems has really expanded what we are able to do on some of our cells.

8

Mikey

Care to expand more? I used them back when they first came out but then shortly after I start my own business and got out of the loop I guess, I think it was my Banner rep that sold them to me.

If I remember right Mitsubishi used them a lot.

9

We use Banner, but we also use AB, Balluff, and Murr . They are blocks with typically 8 m12 ports on them, and each port can be configured for input or output. You aren’t limited to standard IO either. For instance, I have a Banner scrolling display connected to an IO-Link master. I can send messages to it on the fly. Murr makes an analog to IO link converter that plugs inline with your M12 cable. The upshot for us is that the blocks are mounted very close to the equipment. We don’t have to open any of our cabinets to replace a cable after an operator gets too frisky.

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