Greetings All,
I recently decided to start freelancing in Controls and Automation part time, most of my experience has been with Rockwell Automation software and hardware. However, I'm keen on exploring alternative options for controls hardware.
The reason for this is that although Rockwell Automation offers robust products, I'm also very aware that they might come with a higher price tag. Thus, I would like to explore other brands and solutions that might offer comparable performance at a more budget-friendly price point. I am familiar with Automation Direct, particularly their basic hardware such as pushbuttons, power supplies and some sensors and have no issues using them. However, I'm curious about the reliability, performance and ease of implementation of their more complex offerings, particularly their VFDs and such.
Hence, I'd greatly appreciate insights and recommendations from the community regarding alternative PLC hardware providers. Whether it's your experiences with Automation Direct's more advanced hardware, or your successes with other brands, I'm all ears. Factors such as reliability, performance, ease of integration, and overall cost-effectiveness are crucial considerations for me.
Additionally, if anyone has had experiences with lesser-known brands or niche solutions that have proven to be gems in terms of performance and affordability, I'd love to hear about them.
For reference, I'm attaching a picture of a small project I'm currently working on. The objective of this project is to replace the contactors with a VFD and add a Micro 850 with PanelView 800. I'm quoting mostly all Rockwell hardware for this project, but I'm eager to explore other alternative hardware options that will be reliable yet more affordable.
Looking forward to your insights and recommendations.
Best regards,
I recently decided to start freelancing in Controls and Automation part time, most of my experience has been with Rockwell Automation software and hardware. However, I'm keen on exploring alternative options for controls hardware.
The reason for this is that although Rockwell Automation offers robust products, I'm also very aware that they might come with a higher price tag. Thus, I would like to explore other brands and solutions that might offer comparable performance at a more budget-friendly price point. I am familiar with Automation Direct, particularly their basic hardware such as pushbuttons, power supplies and some sensors and have no issues using them. However, I'm curious about the reliability, performance and ease of implementation of their more complex offerings, particularly their VFDs and such.
Hence, I'd greatly appreciate insights and recommendations from the community regarding alternative PLC hardware providers. Whether it's your experiences with Automation Direct's more advanced hardware, or your successes with other brands, I'm all ears. Factors such as reliability, performance, ease of integration, and overall cost-effectiveness are crucial considerations for me.
Additionally, if anyone has had experiences with lesser-known brands or niche solutions that have proven to be gems in terms of performance and affordability, I'd love to hear about them.
For reference, I'm attaching a picture of a small project I'm currently working on. The objective of this project is to replace the contactors with a VFD and add a Micro 850 with PanelView 800. I'm quoting mostly all Rockwell hardware for this project, but I'm eager to explore other alternative hardware options that will be reliable yet more affordable.
Looking forward to your insights and recommendations.
Best regards,