Hi all

Hoping for a little bit of advice on how you would create a device with 1000s of switches.

This is all theoretical - just interested in the different ways to tackle a device with 5000 components requiring on/off signals - each individually controlled. The device would be removable so as few connecting wires as possible is also part of the goal between the controller and the unit.

The only thing I can think of that is similar is a television individually controlling screen pixels. It seemed to suggest a bus type signal sent to addressable switching diodes. Maybe I'm using the wrong terms but I couldn't find out about these small addressable switches and how to communicate with them etc.

Thanks in advance.

 

PLC's come to mind
Brzrkr

 

Do PLCs have enough IO?

I think what i am looking for is a small pcb switching system where all of the switches receive the signal but unless it's addressed to them they ignore it. I could be making these components up!

 

hi,
What are the signals that you are routing thru the switches.?
E

 

There are electronic/logic switches, and then there are mechanical contact switches. PLCs can do both and are scalable. Any switch requires 3 things, an input, an output, and an operator.

 

A number of schemes come to mind.

1) 1-wire interface

2) 2 to 4-wire RS-485 network

3) 2 to 4-wire SPI interface or similar shift-register daisy-chain interface

 

I guess thinking about this in a bit more detail what I want is almost a relay rather than a switch.

The idea is that I have 5000 or so components that are normally on but sometimes will need to be turned off for a period of time which would vary.

The control signal for this would come from a computer.

Ideally the control relays or switches would want to be as small as possible which is why I was looking at TV technology as the spacing between components would be approximately 15mm.

 

PLC's come in banks! can't remember how many per slots! But I think with that many inputs/outputs you would want to change parameters on the fly.
Brzrkr

 

If the switch device is stupid (a relay or a CMOS analog switch), then something like a 1-wire bus gives you individual control as long as you don't need any speed. For more speed, an X-Y array of 32 controlled sources and 32 controlled sinks gives you 1024 individually controlled devices (if each device has memory) that could be manipulated at megahertz speeds - assuming whatever is controlling this system can process I/O requests that fast.

ak

 

Hi all

Hoping for a little bit of advice on how you would create a device with 1000s of switches.

This is all theoretical - just interested in the different ways to tackle a device with 5000 components requiring on/off signals - each individually controlled. The device would be removable so as few connecting wires as possible is also part of the goal between the controller and the unit.

.

What form does the device and components take?
There is PC based factory floor process S/W, and also one method of distributed control is via Modbus.
Max.

 

Hi all

Hoping for a little bit of advice on how you would create a device with 1000s of switches.

This is all theoretical - just interested in the different ways to tackle a device with 5000 components requiring on/off signals - each individually controlled. The device would be removable so as few connecting wires as possible is also part of the goal between the controller and the unit.

The only thing I can think of that is similar is a television individually controlling screen pixels. It seemed to suggest a bus type signal sent to addressable switching diodes. Maybe I'm using the wrong terms but I couldn't find out about these small addressable switches and how to communicate with them etc.

Thanks in advance.

We could make better suggestions if we knew what voltage and current needs to be switched for each component. (Volts, Amps, AC or DC) It would also be useful to know if overvoltage, overcurrent, or voltage spikes at turnoff need to be handled. Speed: How often would a controlled switch need to operate?

 

Also, is there a sequence or relationship governing the switches? Or do you plan to control each one independently?

 

Also, is there a sequence or relationship governing the switches? Or do you plan to control each one independently?

TS said "interested in the different ways to tackle a device with 5000 components requiring on/off signals - each individually controlled."

 

I guess thinking about this in a bit more detail what I want is almost a relay rather than a switch.

The idea is that I have 5000 or so components that are normally on but sometimes will need to be turned off for a period of time which would vary.

The control signal for this would come from a computer.

Ideally the control relays or switches would want to be as small as possible which is why I was looking at TV technology as the spacing between components would be approximately 15mm.

Hi

What do you plan to do with these "switches"?

eT

 

What is your plan to do with the switches and which signals are you going to pass through them?