Drives and Controls Magazine
Home
Menu
Temperature controllers talk to HMIs and PLCs
Published:  08 July, 2013

Omron has announced a DIN-rail-mounting temperature controller designed to connect easily to PLCs and HMIs without needing any programming. The E5DC digital temperature controller uses similar functions to the company’s on-panel-mounting E5_C controllers, including program-less communications with PLCs. This reduces the time needed to learn design and operating procedures, and allows designs to be re-used.

Control systems for food production, packaging, extrusion moulding and other machinery often include devices such as PLCs and temperature controllers located inside panels, and display their settings on external HMIs.

Conventional temperature controllers used inside control cabinets have different operating procedures from those designed to mount on external surfaces. Many in-panel controllers are multi-channel devices that do not incorporate displays or switches. For this reason, operators usually need to learn new design and setting procedures when they use in-panel temperature controllers.

Omron says that this is no longer necessary with the new controllers because they use the same user-friendly functions as the on-panel mounting E5_C series and incorporate LCD displays and buttons. This simplifies the settings for each temperature channel during startup or troubleshooting, as well as to reducing maintenance.

The main body of the 22.5mm-wide controllers can be mounted or removed while keeping the wired terminal block on the DIN rail (shown above). Prewiring is possible with only the terminal block mounted on the rail. The 96mm-tall and 85mm-deep devices can be mounted in 120mm-deep control panels.

The controllers have universal inputs for thermocouple, Pt or analogue inputs. Indication accuracy for thermocouple and Pt inputs is 0.3% PV, while for analogue inputs it is 0.2% FS.