EZ Automation vs. Automation Direct

[jgallagjr]

Hi Group,

The cost of the controls that I need for an Unwind machine project are very high when specifying AB Logix5000 control products. I was looking at EZ Automation's products and they are extremely competitive. The only problem is that I don't know anyone who can reccomend their products. At the same time I have read responses from other forums that state Automation Direct is their cost effective product of choice. I was hoping that some folks out there in the engineering world, who have used either/both products, could provide me with some reccomendations. Maybe, some horror stories as well.

Please advise

Jim

 

[tygerdawg]

No experience with EA, but AD is fine under most circumstances. Is Japanese Koyo products relabled. Older technology, so if you need super fast speed / networking / connectivity / whiz-bang, then look elsewhere. I've used AD extensively over the years for "run-of-the-mill" automation control jobs. Biggest selling points are cost & almost-immediate availability. I find their documentation excellent in most cases.

TygerDawg
Blue Technik LLC
Virtuoso Robotics Engineering

http://www.bluetechnik.com

 

[amptramp]

I have used Automation Direct's "Direct Logic" series. The Direct Logic PLC's are manufactured by Koyo. Koyo has been producing PLC's for 25 years or so. Twenty some years ago they manufactured the Series One PLC for GE. I have done projects with the "brick", the 205 series, and the 305 series. The 305 series is the Series One PLC's great grandchild. All performed adequately, but the bells and whistles are not there compared to Controllogix. For example, the DL205 16 point input modules only have 8 indicator LED's and use an A/B switch to flop back and forth between the upper and lower bytes. Further, I have not used the new programming software, but the old software was very basic without many features especially compared to RSLogix. Hopefully someone can comment on the new software especially a comparison with RSLogix.

I have applied the three DL series mentioned in the brick industry, and they proved to be rugged enough to handle the dirty, dusty environment. Overall, the Direct Logix PLC's are a bargain, and have a long record of success.

 

[tygerdawg]

I think the software is decent enough. Not the more modern software approach with a browser pane full of subroutines like RSLogix, but with selectable-dockable window panes for a lot of different purposes. For example you can build a data view table with register values and I/O points to monitor what's going while the program is running for debug purposes. Ability to document rungs is powerful database style. Lots of shortcuts & dockable window panes (e.g., rung elements) that once you get the hang of it can make for fast "punch & crunch" rung building.

TygerDawg
Blue Technik LLC
Virtuoso Robotics Engineering

http://www.bluetechnik.com

 

[jgallagjr]

Thanks Guys,

This is really helping me so far I saved $9k buy specifying AD components.
I was also wondering how the PID funciton works with there controllers. I spec'd the Productivity 3000 for a Unwind speed matching application. I'm doing some speed matching and am curious about the performance of the PID tuning functionality.
Please advise.

Jim

JimmyJam

 

[danw2]

This goes back some (20?) years, but a TI PLC (that I was later told was really a Koyo product) did not use ISA's definition of control action (direct/reverse). TI used the same terminology, direct/reverse, with each term having the opposite meaning of ISA's definition.

I don't know if that is the case today for Koyo.

If you do PID, you might want to read how A/D (Koyo) defines direct or reverse action.