i/o modules

B

Bob Peterson

> which is the most reliable and cost effective plc for 16 inputs and 16 outputs?

There is no direct answer to this question. All of the players in the PLC market have inexpensive PLCs of this type, often with free or very low cost software associated with it. PLCs these days are very reliable.

The cost of the hardware and software is only a very small part of the overall cost of a PLC of this type. Training the people who will use it, and stocking spares, will often cost several orders of magnitude more than a single PLC with 32 I/O points.

Saving $50 a piece on hardware and spending $5,000 upfront to do so is not much of a bargain.
 
J

James Ingraham

I completely agree with Bob Peterson's answer, but I will at least give you some options. Note that there are details you've left out.

We have to assume that you mean 16 in and out DISCREET I/O, rather than analog. We're going to assume you want 24VDC. And bear in mind that physical location (at least by continent) influences what is easiest to get and maintain.

Smart relays. These all seem to be made by one company and then re-branded:
Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Eaton, Teco, Schneider, etc., etc., etc.

Brick PLCs:
Allen-Bradley Micro830
Siemens S7-1200
Unitronics Jazz
AutomationDirect.com Click or DirectLogic
EZAutomation.net EZPLC

Modular systems ("slice" I/O that can have a PLC front end)
Wago 750
Beckhoff
B&R Automation X20
Phoenix Contact
Turck BL20
Siemens ET200

I would be perfectly comfortable with any of the above. I would lean towards the A-B Micro830 because I'm in the US. If I were in Europe, I probably go Siemens.

-James Ingraham
Sage Automation, Inc.
 
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