Electric Meat Smoker: cheapest target w/ PID +2 analog ins, and 1 dig out...

[S1ack]

I have built several electric meat smokers.

First gen used dedicated temperature controller, and industrial touchscreen + wireless link: which I used to send sms text messages / alarms to my cell..

Gadget Freak Case #170: Smoking Permitted, but Bring a Roast

and the vid

Current generation uses a cheap Siemens PLC (w/ webserver acting as GUI) + solid state relay....never got around to implementing the sms messaging

Explosive Build

Since doing these I have begun using Labview at work, and have seen how insanely easy it is use at configure the iOS data dashboard app.

I *could* leverage one of several cRIO chassis I have access to...to create really nice GUIs / front ends for the smoker data via the data dashboard. (I have TC input cards and digital output cards too).

I have seen some chatter on these board about the Arduino, and the Raspberry Pi, and supposed hooks for these into Labview. And that got me wondering if either of these, or some other CHEAP LV target would be better for this application.

Ideally? what would be the cheapest bit(s) of hardware that would allow me to use the iOS or Android data dashboard apps AND implement a PID, AND support this I/O: (2) analog inputs -one is feedback for the PID (smoker temp), the other is payload temp (meat interior temp), and a digital output (24VDC) that would be the PWM PID output for sending current to the heating element. The actual temp sensors are J Type TCs - but with the current build I have usb programmable TC to analog temp transducers from Acromag (4-20mA output).

Can the Arduino, or Raspberry pi execute a PID? That would be Ideal.

I can think of several ways to skin this cat in order of preference...

1) cheap target that supports PID, IO, and network shared variables

2) turn my existing Siemens PLC into a modbus TCP slave, and develop a PC targeted app that implements network shared variables and passes them to the Siemens (either do the PLC in Labview app, or in the Siemens [which is already done] (Con: Gotta leave a PC running while smoking)

3) Use one of several development cRIOs I have at work and just brute force it. (they are not my property, so could end up getting used for more productive, albeit, less flavorfull duties.)

[Whit-E_Wall-E]

Hello,

There are many solutions you can use with your application.  The Arduino has its own LabVIEW Interface which would provide a simple transition from software to the physical hardware.

With a cRIO you could easily program in LabVIEW Real-Time getting data from the device using different C Series Modules.

You can also use many of our other DAQ Devices and LabVIEW.  A simple device that would work with your application would be one of our USB Devices 6008 or 6009.

We also provide a LabVIEW PID Toolkit which would allow you perform basic to advanced PID control with specifically designed LabVIEW functions.  Are you looking to use the PID Toolkit or just the basic LabVIEW functions?

[S1ack]

I looked at the LIFA. But comms is serial only. Some folks have purported to get Ethernet comms working. But it is not clear that the LIFA would allow deployment of network shared variables (one of my requirements - in order to use the data dashboard app).

cRIO and C series modules can certainly get the job done - but the one I have access to (while free), are not my property, and I certainly wouldn't call them cheap (if I wanted to buy them).

Daqmx etc... These won't work as a standalone right? Needs the CPU of a PC target right? So still gotta have a PC running....

I think after reading about the Arduino in Labview, and the noise about the Raspberry pi, there is no really cheap standalone target for this.

I'll add ModbusTCP to the PLC, and write an application for a PC target that will poll the PLC and place data into network shared variables for the iPAD app. I don't HAVE to control/monitor the grill through the iPAD app - as the PLC still has it's web interface. Plus with modbustcp added I could add a third interface via a dedicated industrial touchscreen....thus creating the most convoluted meat smoker in the Carolinas.

[kreienhe]

I'm working on this very same idea and stumbled across your post.   My plan is to use the Auduino Uno with Ethernet Shield or Wifi Shield (I need to work the VISA drivers to get them working with the Ethernet Shield) and have a main application running Labview on my home server that performs the PID and sends read and write commands to the Auduino (remember this is slow PID loop).   I will then publish those variables as network published variables that can be controlled from my Ipad.  

Just getting started on this so I'll keep you posted. 

The other option that might be viable is to turn the Auduino into a webserver who publishes data as HTTP and have a datasocket application on the server that parses the data and or performs POST and GET messages.