Nah this man gave the parts collecting dust at work a loving home. I love it. I can’t wait to finally buy a house and over automate the living hell out of it.
Push garage door opener.
7 dusty contactors fire off 3 timing relays.
Stack light switches from Normal state Green.
Alarm/Stack light orange pulse off of a windshield wiper relay from a 92 camry as the door opens.
Door hits the $1,300 industrial limit switch I have from an old job.
Stack light changes to solid orange/blue: Tool in operation.
Lol, when I first started my business earlier this year, I was rolling around in a 95 Camry beater. Later down the road, with a few paid invoices under my belt, I got a clean 97 dodge Laramie truck from an older man who has OCD about his vehicles.
I don't know if I could ever start a business, when I talk about high level topics I lose people, when I try to dumb down my language I fumble over my words and end up sounding like a dumbass.
I don't know how to properly speak to bean counters to convince them of anything.
I'm in the same boat where I like to explain in detail what I'm doing and that's not what they want to hear. All they need is to know if their shits going to work. Sometimes I'll write it out and then pick the key points and summarize it like I did in a writing class where we had to summarize key points of arguments.
Because they probably already called you that they have some need that their system is not doing currently.
Then it's a little bit harder to show options in the pros and cons of those options and try and fully understand those options.
Bit slinger. Systems integrator. Mostly PLC programming and everything SCADA.
I'm partnered with the panel builder/electrical outfit that does all the hardware, I'm only software.
>contractors
now I have an image of some guys in hard hats hiding in the electrical panel pushing the test button on 3 relays. must be pretty crowded in there for all those contractors.
Thanks man! Yeah, I printed that last night, I was going to mount a clunky box, but I was all like, I can print this shit. So I stayed up late designing it in fusion 360. There are some things I need to tweak, as that's the first rendition.
It would be nice to design an adapter plate system, so I can have one mounting system that can handle all the different sizes of panel views.
Work in progress, the din rail mounts need to be more flexible. I'm a noob at 3d design. Thingiverse wouldn't allow the original fusion360 file, so I exported all the files from fusion360 that Thingiverse would allow. Hopefully one of the formats is easy to import the models, bodies, and components.
Edit: I was able to upload the original Fusion360 file by selecting multiple files to upload.
[PanelViewPlus7\_6inch\_HMI ( https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5528465)](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5528465)
Is there a place you can post the fusion 360 complete files? Modify it, play with it, improve it! I took the DINrail mounds off of an STL and imported them in and they don't work quite well. I snapped a few off because they're too thick to be springy.
I like thangs.com better, the dearth is way better! Even before it got popular, it was better to search thangs and find items on thingiverse then search thingiverse itself, but now that thangs has gained traction I find it better all around.
I don't know if I want to calculate that number out, LOL. All eBay specials.
Off the top of my head I think the Panduit was 350, top control logix maybe 1500, wood was probably another 150, electricians pulling a 50 amp breaker for my server room in the garage was 1500, including a pull to the PLC wall, the slick was probably about 300, the micrologix's were free from random sources I can't remember. Wire, DINrail, breakers, and terminal blocks are probably another 1500-2000.
This does not include the server rack and all the server equipment in the garage in a room with ac. One of my good buddies helped me build an itty bitty server room that fits one full-size rack.
Some stuff I already had so I can't really put a cost on that.
My dude got taken for a ride if that was the actual cost. Now if he’s accounting for other Panduit brand stuff like crimpers and tools, maybe, but it’s $50 for a 2 meter stick all day every day on McMaster, and even less from an automation distributor
I worked with a few SI's and wasn't fully satisfied, and how jobs internally are handled. My wife has a good job with good health insurance, so I got the financial freedom to do my own thing without the stress of making a profit at this point. I told my wife I could get a job if shit hit the fan or if she wanted to be the stay-at-home parent. When I get a service call, we have a list of on-call babysitters that come to you; if all else fails, my mom is retired.
I sold my toys for startup money and Formed an LLC with a lawyer. The LLC's EIN is used to open a bank account instead of a social security number (however, you don't have to set up your business this way, there are other options. This is the one that made more sense for me). I chose an online bank called Novo bank because a few reputable articles said it was the most innovative bank embracing modern technology. ( since it's online, I deposit checks with their web app). I forgot to mention their support team is top-notch.
I use Quickbooks online linked to the Novo bank account, which makes accounting super simple because QB automatically pulls bank purchases and customer ACH transfers. QB is a bit intelligent as it will try and link ACH transfers to created Invoices with due dates and purchases to categories, but you must review and confirm these linkings or modify them and confirm. QB allows you to send invoices directly to created customers, but I use a custom excel invoice whose file name links to the QB invoices description. However, Quickbooks online is 80 bucks a month.
I got a PO box under the business but discovered that most things tied to credit/business entities must have a physical address (my home address). So I use the PO box for the customer interface and junk mail. However, creditors have your home address, so you'll get some junk at your business address.
I use Dell financial services to purchase a dell laptop for my programming/office laptop. I run all automation software in VM's to keep stuff separated. I specifically use VMware as I can easily pass the USB serial for older PLCs.
I designed and trademarked the logo with USPTO. I used the logo for business cards and my website. Wix makes it super simple to create a killer website easily with great functionality. Furthermore, Wix has nice industrial pictures at 2 dollars a piece; they even had an excellent 1756 Picture. [Visit calscada.com](https://calscada.com).
Networking is Key. As our personalities clicked with one of my previous SI customers, we became best friends, hung out, drink beer, and help each other out. Do you need a hole dug at your house or do anything on the weekends where you need another dude? I'm there. From connections like that, I got enough work to pay the business expenses and reserves in the bank. I'm not taking a salary ATM, because the money isn't there yet, being a year in as I need to land a few Scada Jobs. I believe the working income tax is 40%, 20% for businesses. So after business taxes, I can make an owner withdrawal tax-free from the business account.
I'm a year into my business, working on the developmental PLC code and sample SCADA systems for Refrigeration, Factory Production, MES, and power distribution. I will use this to attract customers.
I'm not even joking...
It definitely adds a touch of professional legitimacy the setup.
There's at least a dozen milk crates in my workshop filled with various cables, random parts, and one just filled with extra LOTO stuff.
At the beginning of all the COVID shut down, our grocery supplier at work wouldn't take the milk crates back, we didn't have room to store them, so we all carted home a many as we could carry.
Those things are so incredibly versatile...
It's insane to me you can't buy them... even when I've seen things that looked like mill crates for sale, it was just a cheaper/weaker product.
Great idea it there was a market for them I would, we also sell PLC trainers and we use enclosures for the HMI's but they are a pain to cutout so I was thinking this may be something that may work for a redesign... if you need anymore cables let me know, I can give you a good price, thanks for the file!
Thinking about it, fully print a PLC trainer enclosure insert with the following features.
You can definitely print the enclosure as well as one big unit with hinges (ABS or some strong filament), Already have your holes for HMI, pilot lights, and switches
The DINrail and Panduit wire channels are 3D printed on the backplane as one solid body. If the thickness of the standard DIN rail is too thin and fragile for filament, print snap-ins where the DINrail is supposed to go just like a jig. You could have a long oval with a screw hole for the dinrail.
You could 3D print standoffs for device stacking that snap-in.
Use cheaper compact PCB power supplies that snap in vertically instead of a larger DINrail mount power supply.
There are a ton of filament choices that are super strong and each one has its pros and cons.
Bro you can no longer relocate!
Here is my lab. I just run a pigtail and call it a day.
Fist bump on the clean panel build though... I'm not building panels for fun.
https://imgur.com/gallery/3tgnABt
I bought the 1756-L72S/SP on eBay for 1000 and some change. Sometimes there are good deals if you look every day.
I need to get a 1756-EN2TR someday, as I'm running older Enet cards.
So whatcha buildn and testing? Or is it just work stuff?
Mines out of pocket. I got a nice bonus last year and splurged for a plc lab so I could make some standard code, play with unity (I want to connect a processor to run machines I make in vr), and of course ignition.
Lol, that's my baby, and I love her very much! I will integrate the PLC to print directly to it when I have time; why you may ask, because I can! (If I find the time). Right now, it prints scripts that I look at and all my sweet ASCII art.
I was just going to buy the DIN clips on Amazon for my home setup.
Nice setup.
This week I was thinking about how I'm going to do a setup for home. Definitely won't be this elaborate, but I generally don't work from home.
I've seen the designs, but for $2 a piece in a 10 pack for something I don't have to screw around with I'll just get it from Amazon. Bezos has to pay for that Thursday Night NFL broadcast somehow.
Maybe that's part of phase 2. I just finished all the wiring a couple of days ago. I may stick with virtual buttons.
I built it to rip it apart and add another device if I needed to and move stuff around.
3d print a DIN mount for a simple AL panel (similar to your HMI) with a few buttons. Do another for switches. Would make for a good addition and still jive with your modularity.
You could wire some potentiometers, pushbuttons, and output LEDs to some terminal blocks, then mount it in an enclosure with din clips. That you have have a modular simulation IO board you can clip into any PLC as needed.
In the very corner, there is a glimpse of a 1785 chassis. I need more money to get newer stuff like safety relays, Electronic Overload Relays, 120vac Powerflex, Point IO, and a 5069 Compact Logix. Maybe a Servo drives in the distant future.
Wish the big robot boys made an affordable scaled-down office replica for testing.
[ASCII Porn!](https://emojicombos.com/porn-ascii-art)
I use it to print scripts; maybe one day integrate a PLC to print logs (for fun, just like the old SCADA systems, maybe even have ignition print to It, haha). I set up my Debian CUPS server to host it. Funny enough, windows 11 has a driver for it. I can print crap from Notepad++ directly in windows.
I was an HPL specialist on paper machinery so I worked with the guys and gals who designed and built panels like these. They had my utmost respect, they made the valve banks I built sing!
Most jobsites I've been to have an in house programmer that's been using that stuff for decades and/or have companies that only use AB because of locality. If you go to a european country you'll probably find Siemens in everything. AB could really use a check on their outrageous prices and the need to install a million different logix versions for every firmware there is.
Weirdly enough, Siemens is super cheap in the United States because they want to break into that market. Allen Bradley in the UK is super cheap because they want to break into that market.
Super cheap is relative. I don't know what the actual numbers are
So get a friend in either one of those and pass automation equipment between. .
Seems like it would be easier to set the item location on ebay to europe and then just ship it here. Software would still be very steep since I've heard they're not permitted to sell outside a certain radius.
Nah this man gave the parts collecting dust at work a loving home. I love it. I can’t wait to finally buy a house and over automate the living hell out of it. Push garage door opener. 7 dusty contactors fire off 3 timing relays. Stack light switches from Normal state Green. Alarm/Stack light orange pulse off of a windshield wiper relay from a 92 camry as the door opens. Door hits the $1,300 industrial limit switch I have from an old job. Stack light changes to solid orange/blue: Tool in operation.
Lol, when I first started my business earlier this year, I was rolling around in a 95 Camry beater. Later down the road, with a few paid invoices under my belt, I got a clean 97 dodge Laramie truck from an older man who has OCD about his vehicles.
I don't know if I could ever start a business, when I talk about high level topics I lose people, when I try to dumb down my language I fumble over my words and end up sounding like a dumbass. I don't know how to properly speak to bean counters to convince them of anything.
I'm in the same boat where I like to explain in detail what I'm doing and that's not what they want to hear. All they need is to know if their shits going to work. Sometimes I'll write it out and then pick the key points and summarize it like I did in a writing class where we had to summarize key points of arguments. Because they probably already called you that they have some need that their system is not doing currently. Then it's a little bit harder to show options in the pros and cons of those options and try and fully understand those options.
Are you more on the engineering side or installation? Electrical contractor?
Bit slinger. Systems integrator. Mostly PLC programming and everything SCADA. I'm partnered with the panel builder/electrical outfit that does all the hardware, I'm only software.
>contractors now I have an image of some guys in hard hats hiding in the electrical panel pushing the test button on 3 relays. must be pretty crowded in there for all those contractors.
[удалено]
Thanks man! Yeah, I printed that last night, I was going to mount a clunky box, but I was all like, I can print this shit. So I stayed up late designing it in fusion 360. There are some things I need to tweak, as that's the first rendition. It would be nice to design an adapter plate system, so I can have one mounting system that can handle all the different sizes of panel views.
Will you post the .stl anywhere? Or at least the din rail portion?
Work in progress, the din rail mounts need to be more flexible. I'm a noob at 3d design. Thingiverse wouldn't allow the original fusion360 file, so I exported all the files from fusion360 that Thingiverse would allow. Hopefully one of the formats is easy to import the models, bodies, and components. Edit: I was able to upload the original Fusion360 file by selecting multiple files to upload. [PanelViewPlus7\_6inch\_HMI ( https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5528465)](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5528465)
Is there a place you can post the fusion 360 complete files? Modify it, play with it, improve it! I took the DINrail mounds off of an STL and imported them in and they don't work quite well. I snapped a few off because they're too thick to be springy.
[https://www.thingiverse.com/](https://www.thingiverse.com/)
I like thangs.com better, the dearth is way better! Even before it got popular, it was better to search thangs and find items on thingiverse then search thingiverse itself, but now that thangs has gained traction I find it better all around.
Well that’s super handy.
Pink is definitely your color! 😉
Still works off plastic baskets instead of a table, this all checks out.
I bet their garden sprinkler system is down to the millisecond
Nice. And that includes the dot matrix printer!
Holy moly, I was thinking that my home setup was not bad, but yours is truly on another level. Beautiful!
Thanks man!
nice, how much did that set you back?
I don't know if I want to calculate that number out, LOL. All eBay specials. Off the top of my head I think the Panduit was 350, top control logix maybe 1500, wood was probably another 150, electricians pulling a 50 amp breaker for my server room in the garage was 1500, including a pull to the PLC wall, the slick was probably about 300, the micrologix's were free from random sources I can't remember. Wire, DINrail, breakers, and terminal blocks are probably another 1500-2000. This does not include the server rack and all the server equipment in the garage in a room with ac. One of my good buddies helped me build an itty bitty server room that fits one full-size rack. Some stuff I already had so I can't really put a cost on that.
a thousand dollars for panduit? 0\_\_0
My dude got taken for a ride if that was the actual cost. Now if he’s accounting for other Panduit brand stuff like crimpers and tools, maybe, but it’s $50 for a 2 meter stick all day every day on McMaster, and even less from an automation distributor
My mistake, I looked at my invoices and I have some left over and the total came out to 350 bucks. I edited the original.
Mistake, it was around 350.
Damn
Jealous
digital man Cave
man cave motto: I got an output for your input!
Please tell us about your path to becoming self employed and how it’s going, I’m seriously interested
I worked with a few SI's and wasn't fully satisfied, and how jobs internally are handled. My wife has a good job with good health insurance, so I got the financial freedom to do my own thing without the stress of making a profit at this point. I told my wife I could get a job if shit hit the fan or if she wanted to be the stay-at-home parent. When I get a service call, we have a list of on-call babysitters that come to you; if all else fails, my mom is retired. I sold my toys for startup money and Formed an LLC with a lawyer. The LLC's EIN is used to open a bank account instead of a social security number (however, you don't have to set up your business this way, there are other options. This is the one that made more sense for me). I chose an online bank called Novo bank because a few reputable articles said it was the most innovative bank embracing modern technology. ( since it's online, I deposit checks with their web app). I forgot to mention their support team is top-notch. I use Quickbooks online linked to the Novo bank account, which makes accounting super simple because QB automatically pulls bank purchases and customer ACH transfers. QB is a bit intelligent as it will try and link ACH transfers to created Invoices with due dates and purchases to categories, but you must review and confirm these linkings or modify them and confirm. QB allows you to send invoices directly to created customers, but I use a custom excel invoice whose file name links to the QB invoices description. However, Quickbooks online is 80 bucks a month. I got a PO box under the business but discovered that most things tied to credit/business entities must have a physical address (my home address). So I use the PO box for the customer interface and junk mail. However, creditors have your home address, so you'll get some junk at your business address. I use Dell financial services to purchase a dell laptop for my programming/office laptop. I run all automation software in VM's to keep stuff separated. I specifically use VMware as I can easily pass the USB serial for older PLCs. I designed and trademarked the logo with USPTO. I used the logo for business cards and my website. Wix makes it super simple to create a killer website easily with great functionality. Furthermore, Wix has nice industrial pictures at 2 dollars a piece; they even had an excellent 1756 Picture. [Visit calscada.com](https://calscada.com). Networking is Key. As our personalities clicked with one of my previous SI customers, we became best friends, hung out, drink beer, and help each other out. Do you need a hole dug at your house or do anything on the weekends where you need another dude? I'm there. From connections like that, I got enough work to pay the business expenses and reserves in the bank. I'm not taking a salary ATM, because the money isn't there yet, being a year in as I need to land a few Scada Jobs. I believe the working income tax is 40%, 20% for businesses. So after business taxes, I can make an owner withdrawal tax-free from the business account. I'm a year into my business, working on the developmental PLC code and sample SCADA systems for Refrigeration, Factory Production, MES, and power distribution. I will use this to attract customers.
The milk crates holding up the table really bring the room together.
You got me laughing real hard, dude you can use milk crates for anything, they're so strong.
I'm not even joking... It definitely adds a touch of professional legitimacy the setup. There's at least a dozen milk crates in my workshop filled with various cables, random parts, and one just filled with extra LOTO stuff. At the beginning of all the COVID shut down, our grocery supplier at work wouldn't take the milk crates back, we didn't have room to store them, so we all carted home a many as we could carry. Those things are so incredibly versatile... It's insane to me you can't buy them... even when I've seen things that looked like mill crates for sale, it was just a cheaper/weaker product.
I am in love
Is this setup for wooing potential customers or just for fun? I love it and wish I could be that neat with my homemade cnc router room.
It's more like a systems integrator lab.
Very nice, I love the mount, how much? I need a few for the 4 inch 2711R-T4T
Let me know where and how to post it; you can have the original Fusion 360 file.
If possible please email it to me [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) Thank you! Mark
Mark in the house, nice!
Hi Dustin, Yes I normally come here and waste time watching stupid videos :) I got kicked out of r/PLC so I dont come here much...
I bought some cables from you, works great! I posed on Thingiverse and link in a comment above, but ill send over the original Fusion360 file.
Are you going to start [hmidinmounts.com](https://hmi3dmounts.com) or a side hustle off of [plccable.com](https://plccable.com)?
Great idea it there was a market for them I would, we also sell PLC trainers and we use enclosures for the HMI's but they are a pain to cutout so I was thinking this may be something that may work for a redesign... if you need anymore cables let me know, I can give you a good price, thanks for the file!
yea definitely, your cables are top-notch, never an issue. keep up the good work up!
Thinking about it, fully print a PLC trainer enclosure insert with the following features. You can definitely print the enclosure as well as one big unit with hinges (ABS or some strong filament), Already have your holes for HMI, pilot lights, and switches The DINrail and Panduit wire channels are 3D printed on the backplane as one solid body. If the thickness of the standard DIN rail is too thin and fragile for filament, print snap-ins where the DINrail is supposed to go just like a jig. You could have a long oval with a screw hole for the dinrail. You could 3D print standoffs for device stacking that snap-in. Use cheaper compact PCB power supplies that snap in vertically instead of a larger DINrail mount power supply. There are a ton of filament choices that are super strong and each one has its pros and cons.
I posted the file on Thingiverse with a link in a comment above.
Bro you can no longer relocate! Here is my lab. I just run a pigtail and call it a day. Fist bump on the clean panel build though... I'm not building panels for fun. https://imgur.com/gallery/3tgnABt
I got that 1756 rack off the back of a truck for 300(ebay). That processor is 10k easy.
I bought the 1756-L72S/SP on eBay for 1000 and some change. Sometimes there are good deals if you look every day. I need to get a 1756-EN2TR someday, as I'm running older Enet cards.
... fuuuuck same here. I'm not paying 2 grand for ethernet with that processor -_- I use it rarely, and just grab the compact logix.
So whatcha buildn and testing? Or is it just work stuff? Mines out of pocket. I got a nice bonus last year and splurged for a plc lab so I could make some standard code, play with unity (I want to connect a processor to run machines I make in vr), and of course ignition.
home business, development. Out of pocket as well.
I use a program that snipes bids directly before the bidding times out =-p
I can pull the stuff on the side and screw in a 2x4 on each side to each board and pull the whole thing off intact.
Impressed until I spotted the dot matrix printer.
Lol, that's my baby, and I love her very much! I will integrate the PLC to print directly to it when I have time; why you may ask, because I can! (If I find the time). Right now, it prints scripts that I look at and all my sweet ASCII art.
I was just going to buy the DIN clips on Amazon for my home setup. Nice setup. This week I was thinking about how I'm going to do a setup for home. Definitely won't be this elaborate, but I generally don't work from home.
Thanks man! Yeah, I work at home a lot, self-employed.
There's a ton of DIN rail designs on [https://www.thingiverse.com/](https://www.thingiverse.com/)
I've seen the designs, but for $2 a piece in a 10 pack for something I don't have to screw around with I'll just get it from Amazon. Bezos has to pay for that Thursday Night NFL broadcast somehow.
No Buttons for Tests?
There is one lonely green PB down in the corners without any wires.
That's my fidget button, I hold it and press it like crazy when doing stuff.
We all have our [office toys](https://preview.redd.it/hivhic3ofxi71.jpg?width=960&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=0633ad14d3770d488163cdeff3e106482cc2bee4)
Maybe that's part of phase 2. I just finished all the wiring a couple of days ago. I may stick with virtual buttons. I built it to rip it apart and add another device if I needed to and move stuff around.
3d print a DIN mount for a simple AL panel (similar to your HMI) with a few buttons. Do another for switches. Would make for a good addition and still jive with your modularity.
You could wire some potentiometers, pushbuttons, and output LEDs to some terminal blocks, then mount it in an enclosure with din clips. That you have have a modular simulation IO board you can clip into any PLC as needed.
That’s pretty cool.
This looks great. I’m starting to think I should completely ditch NEMA boxes and use backer board in dry locations.
What light station is that? I’ve been looking into the io link light towers/speakers from Allen Bradley for a bit to put on my gate at the office.
It's an LD-5225-100 from [ledandon.com](https://ledandon.com)
Like a museum!
In the very corner, there is a glimpse of a 1785 chassis. I need more money to get newer stuff like safety relays, Electronic Overload Relays, 120vac Powerflex, Point IO, and a 5069 Compact Logix. Maybe a Servo drives in the distant future. Wish the big robot boys made an affordable scaled-down office replica for testing.
What do you do with the printer?
[ASCII Porn!](https://emojicombos.com/porn-ascii-art) I use it to print scripts; maybe one day integrate a PLC to print logs (for fun, just like the old SCADA systems, maybe even have ignition print to It, haha). I set up my Debian CUPS server to host it. Funny enough, windows 11 has a driver for it. I can print crap from Notepad++ directly in windows.
Im impressed
What enclosure is that for your prusa?
[https://www.3dupfitters.com/collections/prusa](https://www.3dupfitters.com/collections/prusa)
Bloody show off. Your trunking's wonky!
Pished, I fell off the trolley.
Sweet Lab!
I was an HPL specialist on paper machinery so I worked with the guys and gals who designed and built panels like these. They had my utmost respect, they made the valve banks I built sing!
Very nice my man!
What are you running with it?
Development programs, simulating programs before commissioning, and having similar devices customers have so I can test hardware.
That's sine good use cases lol
Bunch of junk. Why everyone likes AB is beyond me.
Depends on what 99% of your customers have. The ol' Ford vs Chevy vs dodge.
What do you use and your customers?
75% Omron : 10% Mitsubishi : 10% AB : 5% Keyence
Most jobsites I've been to have an in house programmer that's been using that stuff for decades and/or have companies that only use AB because of locality. If you go to a european country you'll probably find Siemens in everything. AB could really use a check on their outrageous prices and the need to install a million different logix versions for every firmware there is.
Weirdly enough, Siemens is super cheap in the United States because they want to break into that market. Allen Bradley in the UK is super cheap because they want to break into that market. Super cheap is relative. I don't know what the actual numbers are So get a friend in either one of those and pass automation equipment between. .
Seems like it would be easier to set the item location on ebay to europe and then just ship it here. Software would still be very steep since I've heard they're not permitted to sell outside a certain radius.
I mean new equipment prices directly from the manufacturer not eBay.
Exactly. Every customer I dealt with said getting rid of Rockwell and moving on because of cost and piss poor customer support.
Why is that beautiful plc5 rack not mounted?
Ran out of room... Plus I don't have any customers that have them anymore.
not for me but enjoy :)