Basic stamp like thing for welder control?

I would guess that your application needs both special sensors and some really high power drivers. Otherwise, about anything with enough I/O will work.

You need to provide more specific information on what your input and output requierments are.

Luhan

This is a control board, it is not going to directly switch any high power.

Its main task is to do two things:

1) Drive 12v relays to control 120v devices such as the main fan (1/10 HP), water cooler outlet (1/3 HP), high frequency arc stabilization (100 watt or less). To be completely clear, what I want from the controller is to be able to supply power to 12v relays that would switch 120v, not to switch 120v loads directly

2) Provide input to a separate SCR firing system that I already have and that is working, to control welding voltage and current by supplying signal to the SCR firing board

So... There is no need for this this system to switch any high power things directly. The needs I have are:

1) Being able to read analog inputs, say 0-10v 2) being able to switch 12v relays 3) being able to produce analog outputs 0-5v or so.

I am pretty sure that the ebay item in question can do 1 and 2, but I am not sure about 3.

Any thoughts?

i

You may have to provide the D/A externally no matter what you use for control. What is your level of programming expertise? Basic, C, assembler? Without having used one myself, ( I do all my Z80, 68000, PIC stuff in assembler) the Basic Stamp looks like the easiest way to implement a control device for someone without previous experience.

Luhan

I am a computer programmer by trade, and use mainly C++ and Perl. Been out of touch with BASIC for 20 years or so. I do not miss it, but I could use it if necessary.

I am open to use of a regular BASIC Stamp, what I need from it though is being able to read analog signal (voltages and switches), supply DC analog signal and switch my 12v mechanical relays. Can a basic stamp (with some appropriate output module) do that? What would be a good configuration?

What I like about basic stamp is that there is some linux software that can connect to it.

Any basic stamp suggestions?

i

Linux, cool, got to get into that myself. I still do all my PC programming in DOS using Borland-C.

I don't know too much about the stamps, go to the Parallax site

They do have a lot of external modules - probably just what you need.

Luhan

Wow, this is like a flashback from my youth, I did that at around 17-19 years of age. I am 35 now and used linux for about 11 years.

Thanks. I am looking for something that would work fine in modest vibration and electrically noisy environment (coexists with an DC to AC inverter, high frequency arc starting etc).

i

Sort of like my furnace controller? The board is mounted to the side of the furnace, which includes a number of induction motors, fans, relays, fire, a cooling coil, and an electrostatic air filter.

The currently installed one is here, but it doesn't handle noise well:

I'm working on a replacement design with an embedded micro (m32c) and much better noise immunity.

So far the only part I've done enough of to publish is the digital I/O port:

There will be eight of those, leading to the thermostats.

Hi i, you can also check out the PIC microcontrollers at

since some have integral A/D and D/A converters, PWM, and lots of nice features built in. hth.

Ken

Like others sad, just about anything would do. In your case you need to select the something that can survive in extremely noisy environment. I would look at the processors intended for automotive applications but that my be a overkill. Good luck with your project.

Regards,

Boris Mohar

Got Knock? - see: Viatrack Printed Circuit Designs (among other things)

void _-void-_ in the obvious place

Thanks. I ended up buying this item:

I hope that I can do what I want with it.

i

It seems pretty obvious you're trying to sell something. How sneaky.

I am trying to sell an electric kiln actually (10 kW single phase, very nice).

That controller is what I ended up winning at the last moment.

i

I'm pretty sure he isn't. He's been working on this welder project and discussing it at rec.crafts.metalworking for about six months.

Chris

Sorry, my mistake.