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Programming via buttons, arrows, keypad or my preference usb with a laptop?
- Thread starter mjwalsh
- Start date
mjwalsh
6 bay SS w/laundromat
I am sure that some manufacturers have at least considered programming abilities besides just buttons, arrows, & keypad. That is one reason why some operators might take the time to weigh in on their preference based on whatever actual experience they have. As far as existing, we have some safety certified Phoenix PLC relays & Hitachi VFDs that allow programming via either usb & the keypad or button arrow approach. I suppose some wireless might be secure enough to allow for some programming &/or configuration etc.
2Biz
Thread Killer!
The Idec PLC's I use at the wash are programmed offline and transferred via Ethernet or USB cable from a laptop. Is this what you're talking about? The arrows and keys on the Idec PLC is much too complex to make the program. I doubt I would even attempt it if this was the only method!
mjwalsh
6 bay SS w/laundromat
2Biz & others,
What you describe is exactly the more user-friendliness IMHO ... that I am referring to. Electronics keep evolving!
With the post I was thinking that some forum members could provide input to some car wash electronic hardware manufacturing engineers including decision-makers that the USB or Ethernet programming option could be of value to us that I believe would be a win-win situation. Especially if they see that the micro USB programming option is getting to be more & more reliable & affordable vs in the past while they are continuing to cook up whatever within their designs.
mike walsh www.kingkoin.com
L
loewem
Guest
I think this is a great thought/question. I might be off on a tangent here, but I think my thoughts apply to the question and maybe take it a step further. I'm not an information technology (IT) person, but I've worked from the business/user side on many IT projects. The number one problem I've seen in IT development projects is capturing the needs of the users and communicating it efficiently to the IT pros. If this step is done well the IT pros will eventually understand the user/business needs and start asking questions that the users had never thought of.
I like the idea of knowledgeable forum members providing input on the needs of wash operators. I agree that it would be a win win situation, but I'd take it a step further. By that I mean that wash operators are at the mercy of manufacturers in a lot of respects. In many respects operators end up picking the solution that meets most of their needs, but not all. Maybe if operators could define and help develop some IT tools that could be used more universally across all washes it would push the manufacturers to be less proprietary and more accommodating/consistent. Not sure, but maybe.
My wash is outdated in several respects, so I can't do via PC and I can't do anything remotely. The extent of automation with my wash is a nightly fax report of my automatic transactions and pages/texts when my automatic experiences a fault. I realize that I have the ability to pay for a service so I can manage my ACW remotely, but that only gets me one piece of the puzzle and it is too expensive. I'd like to be able to monitor and manage my automatic, my acw, my ss bays (timers, mechs, validators, card readers) and my vacs remotely. If we could help someone to create an IT tool to manage the most common aspects of operations via computer/remotely it may drive more consistency across products/equipment.
As an example, I own a ice machine at my wash. I can do a lot via computer and remotely. Monitor sales, review alerts, change prices, change messages to the customer, reset the machine, reset the coin mech and bill validator, vend remotely. Car wash equipment isn't much different from the ice machine in that they are both unattended sales. My understanding is that there is a guy in Kentucky who has written/built an application that is even better than the one that I use and it costs $70/month. That would be worth it to me for a solution for the entire wash, but not for just my acw.
So, I'm dreaming of and planning for the day that I can manage things via computer/remotely. I know this is pie in the sky, but so were the telephone and the light bulb.
I like the idea of knowledgeable forum members providing input on the needs of wash operators. I agree that it would be a win win situation, but I'd take it a step further. By that I mean that wash operators are at the mercy of manufacturers in a lot of respects. In many respects operators end up picking the solution that meets most of their needs, but not all. Maybe if operators could define and help develop some IT tools that could be used more universally across all washes it would push the manufacturers to be less proprietary and more accommodating/consistent. Not sure, but maybe.
My wash is outdated in several respects, so I can't do via PC and I can't do anything remotely. The extent of automation with my wash is a nightly fax report of my automatic transactions and pages/texts when my automatic experiences a fault. I realize that I have the ability to pay for a service so I can manage my ACW remotely, but that only gets me one piece of the puzzle and it is too expensive. I'd like to be able to monitor and manage my automatic, my acw, my ss bays (timers, mechs, validators, card readers) and my vacs remotely. If we could help someone to create an IT tool to manage the most common aspects of operations via computer/remotely it may drive more consistency across products/equipment.
As an example, I own a ice machine at my wash. I can do a lot via computer and remotely. Monitor sales, review alerts, change prices, change messages to the customer, reset the machine, reset the coin mech and bill validator, vend remotely. Car wash equipment isn't much different from the ice machine in that they are both unattended sales. My understanding is that there is a guy in Kentucky who has written/built an application that is even better than the one that I use and it costs $70/month. That would be worth it to me for a solution for the entire wash, but not for just my acw.
So, I'm dreaming of and planning for the day that I can manage things via computer/remotely. I know this is pie in the sky, but so were the telephone and the light bulb.
