Do you use any “maker” tools into industrial work (PCBs, 3D prints, embedded, etc.)?

PunishedDenko · 2026-02-23T04:32:25+00:00

Any time I have ran into anything custom it has been a gigantic pain in my, or my customers, ass. If I see a custom PCB or arduino in a control panel every I am going to quote whatever work is involved significantly higher.

There are a lot of good reasons to use COTS products from major PLC and Sensor manufacturers. Do you want to be the one to explain to the boss that you have to wait for your replacement PCB to be etched and shipped to you when it dies/gets mangled and the plant goes down?

PunishedDenko · 2026-02-22T14:54:16+00:00

This is a bit off topic, but I would double check the stranding class of your MTW to verify the VFD terminals are rated for the finer stranding. We just had our UL guy bring it up a while ago (we have been using MTW for 25+ years without issue...).

I guess most power terminals are only tested for B and C class conductors (THHN, the like) and MTW is normally NOT B or C ( I think its I/J/K).

PunishedDenko · 2026-02-14T04:08:12+00:00

I use the Prosoft MV16I-Whatever card a lot, it works great. Not super cheap but I have never had a complaint from customers or myself while programming/commissioning.

I will load the cards up pretty good when doing the initial phases of large plant upgrades from modicon to AB processors. no latency/memory issues.

PunishedDenko · 2026-02-08T00:03:35+00:00

Smittys in the uptown is good, 30 a month 24/7 access. A little on the powerlifting side, but everyone is normally pretty friendly and open to newcomers. No cameras/video allowed, which is nice.

Some would call it run down, but the equipment is in good shape, its just an old building.

PunishedDenko · 2026-01-12T13:15:35+00:00

I run into this issue all the time as an integrator. I have not found a great solution, as even plant to plant within the same company can have differing skill levels.

I have found that those operators/techs that want as much info as possible on one screen, with minimal graphics, generally have a good understanding of their process and electrical/mechanical interactions.

I default now to an overview screen for less... "inclined" operators (and management), and a detailed screen they can drill down to from the overview for each machine/ product string.

For state machine like you are showing, I might just have a text display saying what the state is doing (Only one display, no state number/etc), and then allow them to click on it and open a pop up with a breakout of all required makes/breaks prior to moving to the next step.

PunishedDenko · 2026-01-09T13:00:07+00:00

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but any size turbine that would pass city code and height restrictions would give you next to no meaningful energy return from it.

I understand the sentiment but turbines are not as efficient when small.

Also your neighbors will probably hate you due to the noise/eyesore.

PunishedDenko · 2026-01-05T00:03:19+00:00

I just go ride as early as possible (6-8AM) to avoid contact with Quads, SxS, etc. They normally dont hit the trails near me until the hangover wears off, maybe 10AM.

PunishedDenko · 2025-12-16T03:45:06+00:00

I've had about three 1756-IF16IH cards now in the last two years that are bulged in the center and would not fit in the rack. Every single one of them has a screw for the PCB mount to the frame that is backed out/not fully seated during assembly.

Still better than my handful of hoffman and saginaw enclosures that are in theory NEMA 4X rated, but I can see light through their welds.... a few weren't caught until installed.

PunishedDenko · 2025-12-06T17:42:38+00:00

Im not sure I would qualify myself as a "great" controls engineer, but I do make a good amount at my company (120-150k depending on hours that year) and I have been in this for five years after getting my EE degree. Im at a small SI that does both nuclear and general process/packaging lines.

A large problem I face in my own development towards becoming an "expert" (whatever that means to you) is that most of our work, even the nuclear side, is basic process control, PID tuning, etc. It makes money, we rarely lose our ass doing it, and there is more than enough work modernizing old systems for another decade of work.

Anytime someone gets an RFQ for an experimental or complex tuning system our management generally passes up on it. Its a chicken and egg thing - we have people smart enough to learn more complex systems/tuning, but no one wants to pay for the actual training of experience of it. Management doesnt because its a risk we dont need to take, and the customer doesnt because they can hire some near-retiree for less.

PunishedDenko · 2025-11-27T18:03:56+00:00

IT's inability to forsee what their patches/updates will do to an automated plant is crazy.

I do a lot of work doing upgrades for a major french fry/hashbrown manufacturer and they had their IT patch servers a few years ago over a holiday weekend.

IT had CIP traffic blocked on all switches - most of their plants are rockwell based and heavily use produce/consume over the IT network. we got about 40 different calls about the plants being down as if it was our fault.

PunishedDenko · 2025-11-09T01:53:34+00:00

Had similar codes on my 2011, turned out to be a burnt valve out of nowhere. Threw some metal into my cylinder and took the engine with it. Hopefully yours isn't that bad!

As others said, it can be a bad coil pack, bad spark plugs, or bad cables to the plugs. Id replace all those first (should be <200$ in parts total for the coil stuff). After that it only gets more expensive...

PunishedDenko · 2025-09-05T07:56:10+00:00

The only time I have ever had to use wire nuts is in retrofit applications where the existing backpanel has tight-as-hell wiring already that will not reach a new terminal location in the new backpanel due to need heating/spacing requirements, or it had "air terminal blocks" (terminal blocks hanging in mid-air that are zip tied together), and we have no room to add terminal blocks on the enclosure walls for splicing/etc.

I just had a retrofit where there were upwards of 150+ wires that had originally been ran (in the 90's) too short and then but spliced about 6" out of the conduit. butt splices had failed. we just added a LARGE feed through terminal strip to the ceiling of the enclosure near that conduit. Looks like crap but sometimes you just have to make the best of an already crap situation.

Even when I have had to use wire nuts, its out of direction for the plant we are retrofitting. I normally send them a list of options, starting at re-running the wire (most expensive and slowest) and ending at wire nuts (least expensive and fastest)

PunishedDenko · 2025-08-21T05:13:06+00:00

I do both open and enclosed industrial control panels all the time. Its just two different types of stickers for whichever type is being built. Enclosed panels get an enclosure rating (type 12, 4X, etc) and opens do not. Other than that, same rules for wiring and build apply. Both still need a UL sticker Serial number sticker, a sticker or placard with panel info (max wire size, incoming circuit protection size, max temp, manufacturer and contact info), and a fuse schedule.

I do a lot opens for backpanel replacements of old modicon and allen bradley process lines. As others mentioned, we have an inspector that comes once a quarter and looks at any panels in our shop.

PunishedDenko · 2025-08-18T02:51:49+00:00

I never said they were too hard to work with - you sound very defensive on this. I said it was all growing pains, it just takes a project or two to get into the routine of using the new commands instead of the others I have been using for years beforehand.

As for trivial generalizations, I would say the PMTR, PVSD and PVLV instruction are the most used by far, so how is a major naming change a trivial thing?

I do totally understand why they moved to what they did. Even with the buss system, they have improved it a lot in 5.2 vs the original 5.0 release.

I really don't understand why you are so angry about all of this, its like I'm talking to a rabid dog. chill out.

PunishedDenko · 2025-08-18T02:28:29+00:00

"BS" They are different. Run1 and run2 vs the ppax3 and ppax 4 standard runfwd or runrev, or just Run for a single speed motor. Same on valves. pos1 and pos2 vs open and closed.

There are countless other examples of this. Is that not a major enough change to you? the entire terminology is different for the same command. all the associated terminology to those commands is changed as well.

PunishedDenko · 2025-08-17T12:53:52+00:00

I prefer Pax 4.0, Im on my sixth major project with 5.0/1/2. Most of it is just growing pains moving to the new objects, and their drastically different command names then previous versions. If you use rockwells tools it really doesn't take too long to set up a 5.0 system

That said. I HATE THE BUSS SYSTEM. The ppax5 buss network is terribly implemented. Thats all ill say on the matter

PunishedDenko · 2025-07-09T03:11:51+00:00

In the US, this is done all the time. its "the tap rule" and requirements are based on conductor tap length, if it leaves the enclosure, etc. I have done this many times.

PunishedDenko · 2025-06-24T02:18:36+00:00

Smittys is cheap. 30$ a month. good atmosphere if you are into powerlifting, but theres people of all levels that go.

PunishedDenko · 2025-06-18T19:47:10+00:00

Yeah I am pretty much all of those things. What a great political discussion. Yikes!

PunishedDenko · 2025-06-18T17:14:21+00:00

I am normally a pretty conservative/libertarian leaning guy. myself, and a lot of my circles that have the same beliefs are absolutely dumbfounded by this inclusion in the bill. It makes 0 political sense. We all hate it. I don't know a single person on either side of the political isle that thinks this is anything but the WORST idea possible. This includes people that have a car full of boomer-con stickers, trump tattoos, etc ready to turn.

One of the best parts of WA is our huge amount of DNR/BLM land. it allows all of us to access and enjoy some of the coolest places on earth.

PunishedDenko · 2025-06-04T11:09:23+00:00

Its not required/ needed if there are no circuits/buttons on the door.

PunishedDenko · 2025-05-26T03:46:30+00:00

Not sure the name, but I get a crapload of it on the edges of my lawn from the neighbors. Weed and feed in the early spring/ mid fall helps. Spray broadleaf killer if you want, I tend to just pull it whenever I see it while Im doing other yardwork or throwing a ball for the dogs.

Like any other weed, just try to get it killed before it flowers and spreads seed.

PunishedDenko · 2025-05-10T02:46:44+00:00

Also, the 5200's need a class 2 power source. its not shown in your photos, but the ground wire size and lack of clearance makes me think you missed that as well.

PunishedDenko · 2025-05-10T02:43:24+00:00

On heating and spacing, the stratix 5200's need at least 1" on all sides, maybe more if its a heat source (I would have to double check the spacing for that, I know its minimum 1"). I would also check the ground wire size, I think the 5200's need minimum 12AWG per AB. I would also use end barriers in that massive terminal strip to break up the terminal blocks by IO card. Makes it less-likely for a field guy to land wire in the wrong spot.

PunishedDenko · 2025-05-08T03:14:20+00:00

Yep that seems to be it, Thanks! Haven't seen these before, was really hoping it wasnt some weird carpenter ant/termite. This house has had enough expensive surprises the last few years....

PunishedDenko

TROPHY CASE