Do any HMI/PLC manufacturers have sensible delivery times?

We have done the complaining about delivery times in a couple of other threads, I am not trying to repeat that. I am trying to find out if any HMI/PLC suppliers are managing to deliver within reasonable times? I have a couple of jobs coming up and I am looking to decide what to offer. I would normally go with Siemens for the PLCs and Redlion for the HMI, but either of those options is no good. I did some web searching last night and all well known manufacturers to seem to be the same. I found I could get Panel PCs for HMIs, but they are no good without PLCs for them to talk to, the software is expensive for the number of Tags, and it adds a layer of complexity having some version of Windows underneath.
EZ Automation offer 7-10 day deliveries on their website, but I don't know if they are any good. Plus, the 5.7 inch HMI will fit on the job but doesn't have enough pixels, the 10.4 inch is too big for the available space. Just to make things harder, the HMIs have to be rated for outdoor use and have sun readable screens.


Does anybody have a magic answer, or do I give up and go and get a job at a local supermarket, I used to be a bit good on the checkout, many many many years ago.

Hard to comment, your side of the world is probably quite different from here in the Deep Southern State of Australia (AKA New Zealand) but I placed an order for 5 Schneider Magelis HMIs and got them a week later. 11 RTUs, only a 2 week lead time. Relays on the other hand... 3 weeks for a handful of 24VDC 2 pole ones. Haven't bought any standard PLC gear in ages though.

I've been advising Clients to expect 6 month delays minimum... so don't wait, if there are projects coming up I can design and buy the control system gear now, and maybe it'll get to you on time. Just be upfront, unless they live under a rock they must be aware we are going through all kinds of global supply chain issues.

Speak to the sales reps, they know what they have and what they don't... they're likely getting daily abuse about the products they don't have, so they will know them well.

Unfortunately, we will be fixing the "creative engineering" of 2022 for years to come, but what can you do.

I wouldn't volunteer to stack shelves at the supermarket, we may well run out of stuff to put on them again soon.

Check LaMonde for Automation Direct PLCs, and System Devices UK for Weintek HMIs.

Whilst RS claim to have 800+ PLCs in stock for dispatch in 1-3 days, I applied that filter, checked one, and it said back order for October.

Thank you, I will have a look at your suggestions.
I still think the Supermarket is a good idea, I am tall and can easily stack the top shelf, have experience from 'Goods In' all the way to 'Goods Out'. And, Yes, 'clean up on aisle 5' was a call for me . Plus, where better to work than a supermarket if there is a food shortage.

We build small panels and switched from ML1400 to the Click Plus PLC since most models are readily available and most of the I/O cards are too. I really don't want to go away from Red Lion for the HMI, but if I had to choose, I would prefer the C-More to the EZAutomation. However, there are only a couple of EA9 models in stock.

A/D puts their inventory quantities right on the webstore.

We have Red Lion orders placed in November that still haven't shipped. I had to swap in a Graphite where I only budgeted for a CR3000 in two different jobs because I caught a couple in stock at Allied.

I told the boss that if China attacks Taiwan, I will leave my keys on his desk and go fishing for the remainder of the year.

Today you can only be sure that you can finish the project if you have all components in your stock.
So it is like in old days where integrator has to invest it's own cash and sell the complete job to customer for cash who has to have all the money on account before starting project.
This is not answer to your question, but conclusion from current circumstances that will be present for few following years.
And to be sincere I like it more like this.I never liked the "virtual" economy that was present for last 20 years, that is based on credits.

I told the boss that if China attacks Taiwan, I will leave my keys on his desk and go fishing for the remainder of the year.

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It will be tough to fish the lake once the Nuclear Winter causes a mini ice age. But on the bright side, it will fix the problems of Global Warming. Yes, I am a glass half full type .

So it is like in old days where integrator has to invest it's own cash and sell the complete job to customer for cash who has to have all the money on account before starting project.

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This can work in some situations, but where your customer sells bespoke kit that is different for each customer, it is a problem.

In my inbox this morning were three 'we have despatched' emails from my original Siemens supplier, even after I asked them to cancel the Orders. So I could end up with 6 extra PLCs. I will wait until they are all here in my sticky hands and then decide if I return for credit, or become a scalper on ebay.

There is a line from a film about a pink submarine 'Operation Petticoat',

in chaos there is profit

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In this side, we have to wait for 3 to 6 months if they don´t have the components on th shelves.
I´m currently in a project with Siemens because they offer no more than 3 months for the total of the shippment (most of it was in stock).
Rockwell couldn´t provide anything, and the delay was 6 months at least

And well... we have our own problemas, not just the world ones.

Try ABB they have a PLC range that works with CODESYS

Weintek and C-More don't seem to have outdoor, sun readable HMIs, the maximum is 400nits. If the plastic on the front doesn't have some UV protection they soon fail. EZ Automation have sun readable, but are expensive at $2899.00 and only 320x240 pixels. I had a look at ABB last night, their sun readable HMIs are obviously rebadged Beijer X2 and you have to go to Extreme to get the rugged outdoor version. I found EXOR have a sun readable HMI, but I will have to contact the UK supplier for stock information.

I have looked at headless HMIs, like the Redlion Graphite GRAC0001, but hit the lack of stock problem again. C-More have a headless HMI with plenty of stock. But even if I solve the HMI supply problem I am still stuck with the PLC supply problem

And well... we have our own problemas, not just the world ones.

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My 2nd to next job should be going on a machine heading for Argentina, if you want me to hide an extra Siemens PLCs in the shipping container, let me know

Ignition can turn PC with touch screen or mouse operating into HMI.
Ignition talks to many different type of PLC and support many protocols.
Go to there website have look.

I've had zero issues so far getting Micrologix 1400's and Maple Systems panels.

Edit: Sorry, didn't realize you were in Europe.

Our Keyence rep was in last week and claimed that all of their PLCs and HMIs are in stock. Too bad you can't get basic product details from their website without divulging personal information.

Edit: Sorry, didn't realize you were in Europe.

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Nothing to apologise for, I don't consider living in Europe to be embarrassing, or to be a limit

Interestingly, or not, as your interest takes you. Keyence don't list PLCs/HMIs on the UK website, so maybe living in Europe does limit what I can do.

I've seen them here Bryan, but I wouldn't use them myself. As aforementioned, can't get details easily, and they use aggressive sales tactics... "raise a PO in the next 2 hours and we can do a special price", etc.

Also, I used a Keyence SR scanner with Keyence sample code (VB). It didn't work (duplicate scans in the VB buffer) and their response was "we don't stand over our own code".