At the center of all TEC Trainer offerings is the Portable Training Lab (PTL). All PTLs are engineered with three key principles in mind:
- Portablility - for organizations that have centralized training divisions and want to rotate equipment between facilities or for colleges that can't allocate permanent lab space to big, bulky equipment, our PTLs are the ideal solution.
- Modularity - all of our PTLs are designed to work together to simulate a manufacturing automation process, but may also be used as stand-alone units used to teach individual courses.
- Relevance - we continually re-engineer each PTL to ensure that the components used meet the current industry standards for factory automation products.
TEC Trainer currently offers six stock PTLs, five of which are described below (please check back for the Motor Control PTL in the coming weeks)...
EACH ELECTRICALLY-BASED PTL HAS IN COMMON:
- A lockable, molded-plastic, wheeled case with a telescoping adjustable handle.
- An operator panel with high-quality Allen-Bradley pushbuttons and LEDs in an anodized aluminum face plate.
- Ample color-coded terminal blocks, fusible terminals and grounding blocks for completing lab exercises.
- A GFCI power cord.
- DIN Rail for mounting and easy reconfiguration of the trainer's components.
- Sheet metal plates with standard pattern "thread-serts," for reconfiguration of major components, if necessary.
TEC TRAINER WORKS FOR YOU
Each PTL can be modified to your needs by changing the brand or model of the PLC, IO devices or the configuration of the operator controls. We can deliver PLC-based PTLs for Allen-Bradley, Modicon, Siemens, GE, Omron, Mitsubishi, Koyo (Automation Direct)or any other major brand. TEC Trainer can also design and build a trainer specifically to your specifications. Each PTL has a companion curriculum that is available to be purchased or leased. The course materials include digital presentations in Microsoft Power Point format as well as .pdf format versions of all the lab exercises, quizzes and answer keys. Curriculum samples are available upon request.
The Basic AC/DC Electrical Portable Training Lab allows students to learn and develop necessary skills to safely wire and troubleshoot simple to complex control and timing circuits. In addition to our standard wiring components listed above, the base configuration of this PTL includes a rechargeable 12VDC gel battery, a 24VDC switching power supply, two open frame contactors, three octal socket relays, a timing relay, a gear motor and a fan motor. As with all PTLs, components may be added or removed to fully customize it to your needs.
Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC)
The Basic PLC PTL is designed to provide the student with a fundamental understanding of the components of a PLC-based control circuit. The base configuration of this PTL includes a "brick" style PLC and discrete IO components including inductive and capacative proximity switches, limit switches, a fiber-optic through-beam sensor and a fan-type motor. The PTL can be configured to include nearly any brand and model of Programmable Logic Controller to include Allen-Bradley Micrologix, Compactlogix, SLC & Controllogix as well as PLCs from Modicon, Siemens, Omron, Koyo, Wago and more.
Basic Electric / PLC Combination
This PTL is the "Flagship" of our training equipment. The unit is designed to be used with a PLC that offers an advanced instruction set as well as both analog and digital IO. The base electrical components are replaced with six octal socket relays, a larger DC Power supply, either analog or digital voltage and current meters and a control-quality A-B potentiometer. The IO is upgraded to include a pressure sensor with both analog and discrete outputs as well as a barrel-type ultrasonic sensor. This PTL will enable the student to progress from the most basic of electrical circuits, using only the operator control panel, to advanced PLC programming including PID and closed-loop control techniques.
The mechanical drives PTL provides extensive training opportunities in the fundamentals of machine movement and mechanics. The components enable the students to design, build and understand both basic equipment principles as well as complex machine movements, ratios and control schemes. It is comprised of several sets of high-quality W.M Berg spockets and timing gears in varying pitches and diameters, the associated chains and belts in various lengths, and all of the shafts universal joints, couplers, bearings and hardware needed to build the experiments. The set is tied together with TEC Trainer's custom manufactured adjustable mounting brackets and all comes together on a precision-machined .25" aluminum base for rock-solid support.
The Pneumatics Portable Training Lab provides instruction through hands-on learning in the fundamentals of Pneumatic components and circuits. This PTL is built with cylinders, 2-position and 3-position valves and rotary actuators from Humphrey, Tol-o-Matic rodless cylinders, and Legris fittings and flow-controls. All pneumatic actuators are fitted with end of stroke sensing devices (either contact and non-contact) for full control. This PTL is available with TEC Trainer's standard operator panel in it's base configuration, but may also be purchased with screw in subpanels to provide either Relay Ladder Logic control or Micrologix 1100 PLC control. Both subpanels are built entirely with high-quality Allen-Bradley components.
