PIC in industrial development?

[nebisman]

Hey friends

Do you know any industrial development (PLC , controller , instrument, power electronics) that uses a PIC MCU in its hardware?

I want to know if is really true that PIC MCUs are restricted to consumer electronics.

thanks
nebisman

 

[PaulHolland]

In short NO..

We use PIC's because of the wide temp range and features but the only problem with MicroChip is the number of silicon revisions and bug's...

Check them before you select a PIC since sometimes they don't do everything they say !!!...

But for the rest it's OK.

Paul.

 

[neuralc]

Hi nebisman,

I use PIC for an industrial controller for PUMP's, until now the only problem it's strange reset's, but I solve it with a correct filtering aproach...

HH

NeuralC

 

[monty_burns_007]

I used it once in AGV (automatic guided vehicales) in an automated plant. Because they where very compact. I once made a ladder logic to microchip asm converter which we used the to make PLC like programs. They (the pic's of all agv's) where also in communication with the mainfraim PLC's (S5 135u's).
The only drawback was the work to make a PLC in hardware. The 8bits ports from the pic where first multiplexed on a bus with driver ic's to create more digitale I/O's, then there was also the convertion from the TTL level to the industrial 24VDC range.
But they were quite fast analog steerings and digital timing steerings.

The only big work was making the plates + electronics which was luckily not for me

Monty 8)

 

[Humber555]

I didn´t see any "serious" device made from PIC´s in the industrial market. I made a lot of developments with them since 1996 mainly in industrial enviroments and didn´t have any problem that I can attribute to the PIC reliability or erratic behaviour.
I can affirm that I used to work with other uC but none of them survive if you reversed (accidentally) the power supply, the PIC does.


humber555

 

[asena]

I used it once in AGV (automatic guided vehicales) in an automated plant. Because they where very compact. I once made a ladder logic to microchip asm converter which we used the to make PLC like programs. They (the pic's of all agv's) where also in communication with the mainfraim PLC's (S5 135u's).
The only drawback was the work to make a PLC in hardware. The 8bits ports from the pic where first multiplexed on a bus with driver ic's to create more digitale I/O's, then there was also the convertion from the TTL level to the industrial 24VDC range.
But they were quite fast analog steerings and digital timing steerings.

The only big work was making the plates + electronics which was luckily not for me

Monty 8)

Hello Monty!
That "ladder logic to microchip asm converter " looks very interesting. Do you think you could share some of that, or it is non-disclosed ??

cheers!

asena

 

[raticus]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with pics.
I have successfully used them for more than 5 yrs now for a vast array of vending-machines,as well as many arcade games.

I will never use any other microcontroller,ever.

Any problems you might encounter are due to design parameter error.

 

[petarpav]

PIC micro is OK, but compilers(C development) is very, very buggy!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[raticus]

Fortunately,I don't have that problem.
I only use assembler,because I do not like being at the mercy of somebody elses software,as in the 'c' assembler.

 

[koky]

I use PIC from 7 year , I use only assembler, when I see that a compiler has hundred release I'm not sure of it'. I have observed that ST family is more immune from disturb than PIC, with pic I use always optocoupled input and switching power suplly (MC34063) that preseve from external power transient. I particular case, I use an external indipendent watch dog for total power reset of PIC board, internal WDT is not sure at 100%

 

[techie]

Almost all the vehicle security systems are based on a PIC microcontroller. I think it is a harsh environment: temperature extremes, power surges, EMI, vibration, 24/7 operation. My car has the same system going on for 7 years now. Havent seens any problems yet.

 

[raticus]

I think most people who experience problems with pics are using the older devices like 16F84,16c55,etc.
These older devices do not have brown-out detection,and designers do not pay attention to creating an efficient external brown-out detector.
I also had a few snags in the beginning.
Use an MCP130 device for the reset,and no problem.
Otherwise I only use the newer devices with internal BOD.

 

[jzaghal]

Hi to all,

I have seen PIC being used in simple designs, such as being
used in controlling an ice dispensing machine, temperature
controllers and vending machines.

Would Neuralc be kind enough to shed a light on controlling of
PUMPS and the way to start them, as well as the way he uses filtering.

Thanks.

 

[neuralc]

Hi,

The PUMP controller are simply a configurable timer with simple UI using LCD with RTC. When the PUMP is ON I measure the consumed current to make a level checking protection without sensors.

For decoupling strategies check this good paper:
h**p://www.atmel.com/dyn/resources/prod_documents/doc4278.pdf

HH

NeuralC

 

[rob13572468]

most automotive accessories are using pic microcontrollers and the automotive environment is much less stable compared to a factory floor. The only time i ever heard of problems with a pic design is (also) when the power filtering/management was not correctly handled. as long as the correct design practices are followed there should be no problem.

BTW: i am surprised to hear that other engineers are coding the pic micros in assembler rather than C. i have been programming mostly in assembler and constantly get grief from my collegues as they feel asembly results in increased development time but i Prefer the control that it gives over a compiler. I am interested to hear others input on whether they have had projects do better using assembler vs. compiled.

 

[Humber555]

BTW: i am surprised to hear that other engineers are coding the pic micros in assembler rather than C. i have been programming mostly in assembler and constantly get grief from my collegues as they feel asembly results in increased development time but i Prefer the control that it gives over a compiler. I am interested to hear others input on whether they have had projects do better using assembler vs. compiled.

Assembler vs "C" is a neverending discution, I programmed in assembler for years and after I learn "C", I would never use assembler again unless a specific time sensitive routine or just to check the compiler output.
Assembler advantage: produce tight code.
Assembler disvantage: code difficult to read and difficult to maintain.
C advantage: code readable and easy to maintain
C disvantage: produce 10 to 30% more code. This is not a problem rigth now because the wide and cheap availability of microcontrollers scalable in memory size. This "myth" was true those days when memories capacity in microcontrollers was price expensive.

Regarding the "buggy" compilers, may be but it´s not a problem because always there are a previous stable version that enable you to work with confidence.
The unstability of the newest compilers version is the cost we -the users- must to pay to get new functions because a compiler is continuously growing with the technology, in contrast, assembler is "packet" with the corresponding instructions set and untouched.

I hope to listen other users opinions regarding this matter too.

Best regards,

humber555

 

[mrm]

I use Pic in industrial electronic design.

 

[jhonny_yang]

Please take a look at datasheet in microchip , there have much kind : commercial , indrustrial , automative , military.

If you care about quality , noise , and the other please take the military ones.

Actual in this case i love motorola

 

[neuralc]

>>C disvantage: produce 10 to 30% more code

I'm not a master in programming with assembler, but I have made some progs in asm and c, and compared the result. In all cases I get a smallest hex file for the C prog. Maybe, because the global optimization made by compiler.

NeuralC

 

[mrm]

A question to PaulHolland: can U explain what kind of silicium bug...I'm very interested in Them.
Thank you. Mrm