MM Controls, Inc

The MM Tools Trophy Room

While we haven't yet won the America's Cup or the Nobel Prize, we have "bagged" quite a few success stories over the years. Below are some of the MM Tools projects we've done for OEM customers. It is not a complete list - there are other MM Tools based control systems in industry, but they are used in-house by their owners and are not for sale to the general machine-buying public. (In fact, the systems' very existence is considered proprietary information!)

No endorsement of the MM Tools or MM Controls, Inc. by these OEM customers should be implied here.

Project:	Moisture Sensor to PLC Interface
Customer:
Product Name:	M-PIM-0212

The Mesa M-PIM is a single-board computer application for interfacing Trime brand moisture probes to a PLC-based control system. The moisture probes have their own two-wire protocol; the M-PIM program continuously reads each sensor and then transmits the sensor data to the attached PLC or serves the data to a connected SCADA system through its Ethernet port.

The M-PIM supports Allen-Bradley SLC, PLC5, and Modicon PLCs either serially or through Ethernet. Siemens PLCs are supported via a Profibus slave daughter card. SCADA systems, such as Wonderware or Intellution, may poll the M-PIM for data through the Ethernet; the M-PIM emulates a Modicon PLC using the Modbus/TCP protocol.

The system is designed to operate headless, although the user may attach a video monitor and mouse or touchscreen to get advanced diagnostic information. The M-PIM is configured using a Web browser on an external computer. Status information, data logs, trends, and error logs are also available through the M-PIM's Web server.

Project:	Air Compressor Management System
Customer:
Product Name:	PL-2000

The SavAir system is 3 programs. In addition to an MM Tools based embedded control and HMI program, there is a Windows based program for configuration and an NT server service program for remote data logging.

At its core, the SavAir PL2000 control program solves a model for a "virtual" compressed air system; real I/O are indirectly mapped to the elements of the model. On each control loop pass, after inputs are read but before the model is solved, the program solves a set of IEC 1131 function blocks. The function blocks allow the configuring SavAir technician to customize the model for each unique installation as well as add control features not included in the model. The PL2000 software supports local (PC104), Profibus and Opto22 Ethernet I/O (using the IEEE 1394 protocol). The PL2000 embedded control program has touchscreen monitor for full HMI capability.

The PL2000 may be integrated into a plant-wide network. SCADA systems, such as Wonderware or Intellution, may poll the PL2000 for system status through the Ethernet; the PL2000 emulates a Modicon PLC using the Modbus/TCP protocol.

The PL2000's Windows based configuration program has four parts: A "tree" view window for the user to build the system model and assign I/O, a graphical function block editor, a poke-and-click editor for building compressor staging and rotation tables, and a window for uploading and viewing logged data. Communication between the configuration program computer and the PL2000 controller is via Ethernet. If connected to a PL2000, the configuration program will continuously show online status of the input and output variables of the model, the function blocks, and the I/O, as well as allow the user to download data logs from the PL2000.

The third element in the SavAir system is the SavAir server, used for remote monitoring applications. The Server runs on an NT box back at the SavAir headquarters; it accepts connections from remote PL2000 controllers via the Internet or a VPN. The PL2000 controller may be exposed to the Internet via a hole in its facility's firewall (without loss of network security) or by installing a modem and phone line and giving it a dial-up ISP account. Periodically, the PL2000 will connect with the Server, sending it all the data logged since the last connection. The Server program pushes the data to a SQL server. Another vendor wrote a nice Flash based web page interface for the remote monitoring data in the SQL database, which is accessible to both SavAir staff and personnel from the PL2000's home facility or corporate management.

Project:	HMI/Supervisory Controller
Customer:
Product Name:	Clipping Trash Gate

The Coe Clipping Trash Gate HMI was the original MM Tools application, and to date is the smallest. Generally, the work of controlling the clipping of the leading edge of a veneer ribbon as it exits a veneer lathe is done by the Clipping Trash Gate's RMC motion controller based on a digital signal from the Coe Hydraulic Digital Carriage Drive. The HMI is only involved in setup and calibration of the RMC, as well as reporting basic status information and alarms to the operator. Because of the minimal HMI requirements, the CTG uses a small, relatively inexpensive touchscreen panel PC. Communication between the HMI and RMC is done serially, using the RMC CPU's MC protocol, thus saving Coe the unnecessary expense of an additional RMC communications board.