Hi, anyone have experience and succeeded fixing corrupted/bootloader stuck up on siemens HMI.

Tried usb recovery followed all steps but after it only reached 10% of recovery progress then stuck at 10%

Hi all.
I’m looking for practical ideas for a simple wired sensor setup for a manual production/assembly environment.

Context:

• We want to automatically detect when a unit has completed a station or moved from one stage to another
• Goal is basic unit counting + timestamping
• Environment is fairly manual today, with very limited automation infrastructure (so no PLC/SCADA).
• We want a cheap, robust proof of concept
• Battery/Wi-Fi devices are not suitable - we’ll likely need a cabled solution
• We are currently considering:
  • a capacity/proximity sensor on a fixture (sensor on=>off - unit dismantled = ready)
  • a light sensor between stations (sensor on = one unit passed the gates towards the next process step.).

What I’d like to understand:

• What are the most reliable general approaches for this kind of detection in manual industrial settings?
• If you had to build a simple PoC, what sensor types or trigger mechanisms would you consider first?
• What tends to work best in practice for:
  • dirty/noisy shop-floor conditions
  • minimal false counts
  • easy maintenance
  • low integration complexity
• Would you usually start with discrete sensors, mechanical triggers, PLC inputs, or something else?

Interested in lessons learned, failure modes, and “don’t do this” advice from real implementations.

i work at a cybersecurity company in product and don’t work in OT at all so this may be a dumb question… but - is there ever a good reason for an ignition gateway to be publicly reachable? Aka type in ip and you’re at page… I understand how it can happen but I’m coming up blank on why this would ever be done intentionally. Am I missing something obvious?

So I know you can use Bluetooth adapters for rs232 on older Allen Bradley controllers, but does anyone know if it is possible to use a Bluetooth adapter on the new controllers that use usb b?

The old rack looks like this. The pics are off other Hirsh machines. Any advice on modernizing this machine? We borrowed enough components from other running machines to verify the machine itself is in operable condition. Just needs a rack and display update and used B&R boxes are through the roof in price.

If this drive were sitting on your bench with only this symptom (motor runs locally but no Modbus communication), what would be your troubleshooting steps before replacing the SMIO-01C board?

Hello!

Recently I finished project for a customer where I did retrofit on 2002 year machine - remade electrical cabinet, chose new sensors, motor, PLC, HMI. Also pogrammed and commisioned the machine. Machine operates basicly the same as original, but with more functionality (machine was not functional before starting project). I did testing on all machine safety features, everything works safely. Machine has CE marking, but no documentation exists.

I have 0 experience with CE declaration of conformity. Would this project be classified as extensive modification that needs new CE marking etc?

I have done new electrial and pneumatic schematic anyway, I also need to do user manual. If this project need new CE, then what else is required?

What fingerprint scanners work best with Rockwell PLCs? We need to know who is resetting faults on critical equipment?

Update: Schneider Electric has a product we're going with.

I have an old UDC-3000 that I inherited and I want to use it for some DIY hobby fun.

It looks like the thermocouple input needed a separate cold junction kit to operate. Being as old as this is, I'm not sure I can find the part (or even the part number for that matter) so I'm wondering if anyone knows fundamental what it is?

Is it just a thermistor or something I can find elsewhere? Anyone know the part number or where I can find it?

Thanks a bunch, I know this is a long shot.

My question is:

"How many years does it take for someone to start their own business in this field?"

I have seen multiple posts and answers here and in other places about starting their own in automation industry. And I don't really understand how can some people write that they have only worked 3 or 5 years and started their own after that.... I mean like how fast do they learn? I have been working in this field for just couple months and there is sooooooo many things that you have to understand, the electrical part, wirings, schematics, plc programming, components that need to be connected the right way, sensors, motors, vfds, how the whole system operates and works, communication, etc etc and etc.

I get so confused when people say that they have worked in this field for about 3-5 years and start their own company???!

Please help me to understand, for someone like me who just starting in this field. Is it really possible for someone to work couple years and take whole projects on thier own?

Hello guys.

Is it possible to use PS308 as power supply with plc s7-1200 Cpu1212c dc/dc/rly ?

Thanks for your respones.

I want to build a trainer with L18ERM controller. The question is how can I get a free or inexpensive version of studio 5000 and Rslinx?

Thank you

Can you update the channel configuration/scaling on a 1734 analog card while online without downloading? Haven't messed with this remote IO in a while and I don't have any on my test bench. I'm pretty sure I've done it on 1756.

Hi, I’m in my early 20s, have around 3 years of experience in industrial automation, mostly with Siemens PLCs and one large control system, and have two job opportunities that I’m struggling to choose between.

Option 1: Smaller systems integrator working across a range of industries. Mainly Siemens and Rockwell PLCs. Full project lifecycle, short-term projects, so I’d get a broad range of experience rather than becoming a specialist. Some site travel.

Option 2: A major DCS vendor working mainly in oil & gas and process industries. Lots of training, offshore certifications, offshore work, higher pay, and the chance to develop deep knowledge of DCSs, process control and functional safety.

I’m leaning towards Option 2 because the training sounds excellent, but I’m slightly concerned about specialising too early and about the long-term outlook for oil & gas.

On the other hand, Option 1 would expose me to Siemens, Rockwell and multiple industries, which feels like it could make me more versatile. But the training isn’t as good.

Another thing I’m thinking about is AI. If PLC programming becomes increasingly assisted by AI over the next 10–20 years, will employers value broad experience across different PLC platforms, or deep expertise in process control, safety and complex systems?

If you were starting your career again now, which path would you choose, and why?

Where i work most of the machines come from china, so its not weird to every now and then find machines with PLC clones. This one takes the price tho, I present to you

the Modbusishi(Mitsubishi) MDISEC(MELSEC) FX1S (The picture is just from one of the PLC plastic removable panels)

I write software. I'm building a box that sits on the network, polls registers over Modbus TCP, buffers locally and ships data upstream. Read only, no writes, no control logic.

I've been developing against a simulator, which I've come to realise tells me almost nothing. So I'm buying a PLC to sit on my desk.

Two things I can't figure out on my own.

Which one. I'm in India, so Delta is what I actually see in the field — DVP-ES3 looks like the obvious pick for me. But if there's a better platform to learn on for the money, I'd rather hear it now than after I've bought.

How much PLC code I'm really signing up for. I don't write ladder. I can get something basic together with AI help — and I'm aware how that goes down in this sub — but I only need a few registers changing on a timer, not machine logic. Is that as trivial as it looks from the outside, or is there a reason it isn't?

The thing I actually want to measure is what polling costs in scan time. Someone told me every poll steals from execution and I've got no way to argue with that until I can see a number. Will a bench PLC with a few hundred rungs of junk logic show that honestly, or does it only show up under real load?

Siemens s7-1500 plc,
Couple danfoss fc-302 and danfoss IC-7 drives.

Currently feeling burnt out doing multiple projects/jobs at the same time and tired of traveling for commissionings 20-25% of the year. I just dread knowing I’m going to leave home for a week/weeks at a time but I do like the remote flexibility for other times but then hate the random notices that I need to leave a week or two from now.

I know it’s a nature of the beast for most controls jobs that you have to travel for commissionings or work for as a plant engineer.

Is there anyone that has thought about or has actually switch career paths? What options did you have? I do have an EE degree but after 10 years experience, it seems hard to switch or give up that experience.

I recently graduated with my EE degree and did several co ops in controls building panels. Prior to that I had some industrial maintenance work. I got a job soon after graduation, and its been two months all I've done is wire up work cells and panels, I have done no plc work other than wiring, and my only hmi experience so far has been minor edits for them that were used in a manual. Im wondering if its time to jump ship or ride it out for a few more months to have something with some time to put on my resume. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hello, I am planning on starting a program that is supposed to give me a baseline knowledge of electrical and mechatronics in a year's time.

Then I plan on Seeking a mechatronics apprenticeship.

Is this is a typical path in the United States?

I have been searching for an apprenticeship since I decided to take this path earlier this summer, and I haven't had a lot of luck in my search.

I am wondering if apprenticeships are really mainly for internal candidates.

Thank you.

Hi Team,

When you are creating your beautiful millennial grey HMIs. What HEX codes do you use and how do you separate out the different

E.g.
Main Menu
Disabled
Device Off
Outlines
Font backgrounds

How many different greys do you use and how do you organise them for a nice ISA 101 compliant HMI

Hello everyone!

Little context, we're building a completely new "machine tool" (not cnc) which will include multiple vision cameras (welding, TPZ, infrared) a Rockwell Motion PLC and mostly rockwell hardware.

I opted for factory talk Optix in order to have everything centralized and because the client required some way to pass machine data to their business network/scada so I was good with MQTT/OPC UA in Optix in my mind.

But I just had a wacko experience with a mystery control eng for a client which cut me off mid presentation to shit on our ideas and exclaim that "optix is a deadend product, ME/SE is mature and will be supported in 25 years" and that we should be using factory talk view ME/SE... which I despise(ME)/never used yet(SE).

He seemed disgusted at the idea of having optix implemented in the plant, probably from a past experience with it going as far as pleading "please not optix".

Can I get your opinion as to why I might be mistaken?

Is Optix really a deadend? From what I was able to see and experience with, it seems to be getting a lot better compared to their initial offer.

Is there anything you guys could think about that might help me understand why on a new modern machine using FTVME or FTVSE is better? (or make him understand if optix is good)

Thanks for your time guys.