Arduino stuff

[scaramanga]

Anyone done much work with them?

I'm considering replacing some of our "dumb" automated systems that work on fairly simple logic gate programmes with some more intelligent code-based systems.

Anyone have any experience of using Arduinos in a production environment? Any steps you had to take to ensure they lasted?

I'm specifically thinking of using sensors to pick up the need for relays to turn on pumps, etc.

 

[NoLimits01]

Normal stuff with all electronics, the better housed and better insulated the longer they will last. You can buy industrial shields but I don't have any MTBF metrics.

The great thing about Arduino's is that they are cheap enough to have lots of spares but obviously not so good if your production line keeps going down.

The main reason a production line will switch from a PLC to Arduino is to collect data, so if you intend to get into your analytics it may be the way to go.

 

[scaramanga]

Normal stuff with all electronics, the better housed and better insulated the longer they will last. You can buy industrial shields but I don't have any MTBF metrics.

The great thing about Arduino's is that they are cheap enough to have lots of spares but obviously not so good if your production line keeps going down.

The main reason a production line will switch from a PLC to Arduino is to collect data, so if you intend to get into your analytics it may be the way to go.

Data collection and alert protocols, yes.

That and something that doesn't require an engineer if we want to change something fairly minor. One of our plants came in with a monitor/control PLC at the best part of £50K. Assuming the parts are solid, I can do the same with an Arduino and a load of relays for about £3K.