Calling all engineers or programmers!

[skylineTT 10+ year member]

My friend is working on a controls project where he's scaling down a 1/8th mile drag strip for R/C cars. The idea is actually use sensors to activate the tree and clock. He must use a PLC or Microcontroller to process the inputs (staging, reaction time, 8th mile time, etc.) and output them as lighting on the tree and also show the times. It is supposed to run on its own when both cars stage (as it would on a real strip). He understands the logic and should be able to program everything but doesn't know which components would be best to use at such a small scale (especially which to use to detect the vehicles presence).

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[snoopdan 5,000+ posts]

IR optical switches would be fine. Easy wiring and logic, its either bit 0 or bit 1. That could be easily used for staging/trap and the logic is easy to write for that because to figure out trap times, its just an algorithm for time/distance. The light board would be the tricky part, i'd not attempt to make my own lightboard...im sure you could find one that has an RS-232 input so you can just transmit times from the plc logic directly. Would save a ton of engineering time.

DirectLogic has some PLC's for fairly cheap. Logic is pretty easy for it too though.

 

[skylineTT 10+ year member]

He was thinking about using the arduino microcontroller to just turn on the lights each without having to do much circuit work. I'll let him know about directlogic too.

 

[snoopdan 5,000+ posts]

He was thinking about using the arduino microcontroller to just turn on the lights each without having to do much circuit work. I'll let him know about directlogic too.

You'd still have to make a logic matrix in the software for dealing with patterns of numbers...kind of a pain in the ass.

 

[skylineTT 10+ year member]

You'd still have to make a logic matrix in the software for dealing with patterns of numbers...kind of a pain in the ass.

As far as patterns of numbers, do you mean for the ET/timers or what? He is confident that everything else is pretty easy as far as programming the controllers and LabView should be able to handle the timers just fine. He is also a 4.0 mechanical engineer so a lot is easy for him.

What would you recommend for the IR optical switches?

 

[snoopdan 5,000+ posts]

As far as patterns of numbers, do you mean for the ET/timers or what? He is confident that everything else is pretty easy as far as programming the controllers and LabView should be able to handle the timers just fine. He is also a 4.0 mechanical engineer so a lot is easy for him.
What would you recommend for the IR optical switches?

Yes, I meant for the timing display. I really never liked Labview all that much, I did alot of stuff in Wonderware. As for the IR switches, there are countless manufacturers of them. Simple 12 volt version, with trigger output of 5v or 12v ... just whatever your PLC is set up for.

I'm actually a Systems Engineer, if it makes you feel any better

 

[skylineTT 10+ year member]

Yes, I meant for the timing display. I really never liked Labview all that much, I did alot of stuff in Wonderware. As for the IR switches, there are countless manufacturers of them. Simple 12 volt version, with trigger output of 5v or 12v ... just whatever your PLC is set up for.
I'm actually a Systems Engineer, if it makes you feel any better

Yeah, labview is all we learn. It looks like he will be getting the instructors help for the time. They are supposed to spend 4 hours in the lab for the project (just a project requirement) so he will probably be working on the time in there. He's using a Click PLC so that shoulnd't be a problem. I'll be taking this class in the fall hopefully so I might come back to you if I have any questions. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/graduate.gif.d982460be9f153bb54e5d4cb744f6ae8.gif

 

[snoopdan 5,000+ posts]

Ok, occaisonally I do post stuff helpfull......but most of the time, I Troll.....this is DOME.

 

[skylineTT 10+ year member]

Lol thanks brah

 

[Falcons 5,000+ posts]

im a nerd. i found this thread interesting. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/nerd.gif.c6fa51ddf7ff75f1c0371fbc648f70ae.gif

 

[dirtyunclerandy 10+ year member]

Seems out of place, an intelligent conversation just took place.