Summer has officially hit at Opto 22. Because of summer vacations, the training department hosted just one class this month, but what a great group of guys!
Attending this class -- and pictured here in front of our testbed "wall o' I/O" -- were Jeff S. from Bold Technologies, Tom S. from City of Escondido, Morgan C. from Marine Interface, Philippe B. and Dave T. from Process Engineering Resources, Mark P. from Sanger Poultry, and Mike B. and Chuck C. from Transwestern Pipeline.
Although I only got to meet one class of users this month, I still heard about some very cool applications. Sanger Poultry is a poultry farm based in Fresno (which is close to my hometown of Bakersfield). They use Opto products to monitor refrigeration processes. The guys from Process Engineering Resources explained how they have an analyzer, working with Opto, that analyzes rock from mining equipment.
In August, there will be one training class in Temecula and one training class in Bradford, MA. If you are interested in attending either of these classes, sign up on our website. If you have questions about training or would like other information, please email me.
Opto 22's Product Support Group (PSG) develops some helpful tips as they work with customers who contact them for free product support.
Back in 1974, Opto 22's first products were solid state relays (SSRs). Over 30 years later, we still make the most reliable SSRs in the world, and they still sell like hockey pucks. Here are some tips about SSRs from Product Support engineers.
For SSR Outputs Whenever you're using a solid-state relay output to control a solenoid or a relay, always use a commutating diode on the coil. The diode protects the solid-state output from inductive "kick" when the load is turned off.
Choose a silicon diode, such as a 1N4005. Locate the commutating diode as close to the coil as possible, and install the diode's cathode on the side of the coil with positive excitation voltage.
Handling the Heat
Did you know that SSR's dissipate power—in other words, they heat up? And the relay's current rating is substantially degraded the hotter it gets.
When using the Power Series solid-state relays, make sure to design adequate cooling systems to dissipate the heat emitted by the relay. Use items like heatsinks (with thermally conductive grease), fans, and air vents to ensure that the relay operates at an appropriate temperature.
June was an extremely busy month for the training crew at Opto 22. In fact, classes were held three out of the four weeks in June!
The month started with a very rare Factory Floor class. This was instructed by a long time Opto user, Tom Coombs. His years of experience brought a very informative presentation on the legacy hardware and software. In attendance were Lino L., Melvin M., and Renee C. from the FAA and Lino L. from Dublin San Ramon Services District.
Returning back to the free SNAP PAC Systems Training course curriculum, the second class started June 9th. In attendance at this class was Kevin T. from Baker Refrigeration, Dorin W. from Bourns Inc., Lance R. from Floyd Wilcox & Sons, David M. and Jonathan M. from Ikubed, Shane K. from Kemp, Zachary K. from Metal Matrix Composites, and Steve N. and Tom S. from Process Engineering Resources.
The third class started on June 23rd. This class was a mixture of new and familiar faces. It just goes to show that this class offers the basics you need to get started but demonstrates features that might be new to even advanced users. Joining this class were Larry L. from Bureau of Reclamation, Jesse V. from Dole Fresh Vegetables, Ahmed A. from Macdermid, James W. and Anthony D. from Opto Solutions, Raul C. from St. Jude Medical, Nathan T. from Toro, and Jason B. and Jeremy T. from Weeks Marine.
Opto 22's Product Support Group (PSG) develops some helpful tips as they work with customers calling in for free product support. Here are some hardware tips from Product Support engineers.
Low-voltage AC Inputs
Do you need a low-voltage AC input? You can use a module like the SNAP-IDC5 for a 10 to 32 VAC input, or use the SNAP-IDC5G for inputs from 35 to 75 VAC. Because these modules incorporate a full-bridge rectifier, they can work with either an AC or a DC input. Loop Sourcing and Isolation: a Great Combination "I always like to tell customers about our isolated sourcing modules," says Bill Steffens, PSG Lead Engineer. "They're practically indestructible!"
Each module has two channels isolated from each other (each module also includes transformer and optical isolation). You just bring 24 volts of loop sourcing power to the top of the module, and it provides isolated loop sourcing power to both channels.
The modules' design gives them two key advantages: first, they eliminate ground loop problems, and second, any short on the field wiring is limited by the isolated loop supply so it won't damage the module. That's where the indestructibility comes in.
For those of you familiar with G4 modules, these SNAP modules function just like the G4AD3 and the G4DA3—except that each has two channels instead of just one.
We've just made it a lot easier to pick the input/output modules you need.
Our new SNAP I/O Selector lets you start with the signal type and see all the Opto 22 SNAP I/O modules that match.
You can start at the left and choose analog, digital, serial, or special-purpose modules.
Or start in the middle and choose temperature, current, voltage, pH/ORP, or other signals. The selector leads you through module types, signal types, and number of channels to find the exact module to fit your needs.
Click the part number for a picture, brief description, and wiring diagram. Then click the link to go straight to the product page for complete specs.
One of the most valuable checks you can make on your system just takes a minute and a voltmeter. Voltage provided to Opto 22 products must meet minimum requirements, or Bad Things happen.
The voltage specification for SNAP racks (both older versions and SNAP PAC racks) is 5.00 to 5.20VDC. If you're using an adjustable power supply, PSG recommends adjusting it to the upper end of this range (5.10 to 5.20 VDC) for best results, but make sure it's not over 5.20! Following this recommendation should help eliminate many startup, maintenance, and intermittent issues. For SNAP racks, measure and adjust the voltage downstream of the fuse on the rack. This location takes into account the voltage drop across the fuse and makes sure that the I/O processor (brain or on-the-rack controller) and I/O modules receive the correct voltage.
SNAP PAC S-series controllers. Take note of the voltage requirements for your S-series PAC. The SNAP-PAC-S2 has an input range of 8-32 VDC. Earlier models of the SNAP-PAC-S1 had an 8-24 VDC input range, while more recent models have an expanded range of 8-32 VDC. Be sure you check the voltage requirement printed on the top of your controller before applying power. If in doubt, contact Product Support.
PSG engineer Josh says sometimes customers ask how they can get a PAC Control strategy out of their controller, and they're dismayed to find out they can't—unless they've already taken the important step of archiving it. Archiving is easy. As the PAC Control User's Guide notes, archive files are date and time stamped, and zipped for compact storage. We recommend you archive your strategy to the computer during strategy development and to the controller when the strategy is completed. When you archive a strategy to the controller, you are placing the zipped file in battery-backed RAM. If power to the controller is lost, the archive is still there.
For steps to archive your strategy, see the PAC Control User's Guide. You can look up "archiving" in the index to find the pages quickly.
Congratulations to Opto 22's web developer, John Hyatt, for winning a 2007 Super Air Nautique 220 Team Edition boat from Spy Optic and Snowboard Magazine.
John was automatically entered into the contest by signing up for Snowboard Magazine and on May 15, 2008 was sent an email telling him he’d won the grand prize. Though originally skeptical about the email, John followed up and found out it was indeed true, he had won the 22 foot long customized boat. In fact, the boat is valued at an MSRP of $72,000 and includes an upgraded 390 hp 6.0L engine, an up graded sound system with eleven speakers and two amps, is ipod and satellite ready. In addition, it is outfitted with the Spy Optic custom upholstery and graphics and included a $5,000 trailer. His win also included Spy Optic sunglasses, hats and wakeboard gear.
Using videos to educate, share, and inform has become very popular in the consumer marketplace. This technology has proven to be a great success, with the likes of sites like YouTube, Google Video, AOL, news channels, and network TV. We here at Opto believed video could also benefit engineers, technicians, and programmers in the industrial automation community and last year embarked on a mission to provide the best content in the best format available.We’ve been offering video software screencasts since 2006, and they were very popular. But we wanted to offer more than just software content, and decided to invest in equipment, studios, and production technology to offer more compelling stories and product introductions.
By mid-March 2008, we had produced a number of brand new case study videos, product introductions, and more. To make it as easy as possible to view and share these videos, we employed a new video player platform—Brightcove—to manage and host all our video and screencast content. Brightcove is the leading provider of state-of-the-art Internet video publishing, and provides the same services we use to the Wall Street Journal, Time.com, MensHealth.com, Showtime, DuPont, and many more.
Currently, we have six case study videos, seven OptoMinutes (which explain a product or technology in a quick sixty seconds), and three product overviews—which are more detailed descriptions of Opto products or their use. In addition, we offer seven screencasts which, in chapter format, explain step-by-step how to use Opto 22 software applications in conjunction with the PAC Project software and the SNAP PAC System.
Since the debut of our new player, the videos have shown to be an enormous success. With hundreds of plays each day, the popularity of the videos is dramatically increasing over a very short time. We have seen a record number of plays just in the last month and are currently producing more videos to debut in the upcoming months. Also, look for our new testimonial videos to debut this summer.
If you have a suggestion or idea for a video, please share it with us. If we use your idea, we’ll send you a spiffy new SNAP PAC Polo shirt, in your favorite color!
It is my great pleasure and honor to announce the opening of Optomize Inc.in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Optomize Inc. is led by Germinal Puigbertrand who has worked with Opto 22 gear for Asset Management in the Telecommunications industry for over 15 years. For Pfizer Germinal's group has implemented Intelligent Plant Solutions. He has also implemented Opto 22 in various Water and Wastewater treatment applications. Lastly, he has a green side to him in which he has gathered a company of OptoGreen OptoPartners like Jelectron in the area that are specialists in alternative energy sources like desalination plants, wind power and similar.
Look at the smiling faces of the Optomize family and we would like to congratulate their opening of the offices by launching a seminar and training tour in the Ft. Lauderdale/Miami area. In a few days those of you that elect to receive OptoNews will get an invitation to these training sessions.
We will add a special feel to these training sessions and teach Advanced programming, testing and troubleshooting techniques like: How to improve your scan times on the I/O backplane? How can you analyze the backplane network? How can you prevent module miscommunication in a super noisy environment? And last but not least how can you program your PAC to communicate to Rockwell, Siemens and (French company that shall not be named) PLCs? Well we have a challenge to all attendees.
"Bring in a PLC and if Germinal and I can't connect it to a PAC you get a free iPod!" (notice I did give the memory specs). Let's have at it Miami Area and have a super technical session on SNAP-PACs and how they can help improve your control process, remote monitoring of your assets or data acquisition.
Welcome aboard Optomize Inc. with Germinal, Daniela and staff. See you both next month for Training. If you would like to sign up or learn more about Training in the Fort Lauderdale/Miami area click here or go to: www.optomizeonline.com.
The month of May has been full of training training and more training throughout Latin America. In this blog we showcase the trade shows and seminars that the Opto 22 Distributor for Mexico, Instrumentacion y Control 22 or IC22 for short, have hosted in April and May. In the slide show you see a couple of training sessions that were held. One is in Bahio and the other in Queretaro. Both were well attended by PAC fans and users. Attendees came from the instrumentation fields as well as control engineers from chemical, petroleum and water plants.
In the slideshow you see Javier de la Garza who has been working with Opto 22 since the early 1990s. That's FactoryFloor software days for those of you that still remember. If you still remember Factory Floor you might be interested in knowing that next week might possibly be the last Factory Floor training class maybe ever! Factory Floor is the software that was used for Mistic Protocol based controllers like the G4LC32, G4LC32SX, SNAP-LCSX, SNAP-LCSX-PLUS and SNAP-LCM4.
The reason Factory Floor is being used less is because our latest software PACProject absorbs all the functions of the Mistic based controllers and adds much more functionality like OPC 2.0 protocol. Other features are SQL 2005, Access and mySQL compatibility as well as the ability to interface to protocols from Rockwell, Siemens and other expensive and over hyped PLC vendors. Don't get me wrong I use a PLC too. I have the coolest ControlLogix paperweight in my office.
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