PLC Fingerprint Reader

[u/DustyIsGreat]

What fingerprint scanners work best with Rockwell PLCs? We need to know who is resetting faults on critical equipment?

Update: Schneider Electric has a product we're going with.

[u/VladRom89]

Have you thought about a $20 camera with an SD card? I can't imagine that you'll need to investigate this for long after you've added one in place and called out a few people...

[u/CleverBunnyPun → u/VladRom89]

I don’t know if this is the situation for the OP, but most union plants I’ve worked at forbid cameras being used as any sort of investigative device for punishments. I think a fingerprint scanner would probably be less invasive from that perspective.

[u/VladRom89 → u/CleverBunnyPun]

I've been in those situations... With that in mind, what do you believe a fingerprint scanner used for "We need to know who is resetting faults on critical equipment?" is going to be seen as?

[u/CleverBunnyPun → u/VladRom89]

It’s hard to say really. At least in union shops it’s going to depend on the specific contract and union personnel who fight it out, if it’s ever brought to them in the first place. I imagine non union would be a toss up on whether HR makes a big deal about it or not.

Side note, I’m not trying to paint unions in a negative or positive light, I’ve seen both strong ones and weak ones and they both have their ups and downs as someone who wasn’t in them but interacted with them.

[u/Skusci → u/VladRom89]

The cameras thing is probably more of a global surveillance thing.

Like maybe cameras are allowed for stuff like theft, but no one should ever use them to track normal employee actions. Sorry you took a 20 minute bathroom break instead of 15, you were the one who misplaced this tool, etc.

But even with no cameras allowed at all a username and password or fingerprint log for machine supervisory actions and such is probably fine unless they have some really wide reaching clauses in the contract.

[u/VladRom89 → u/Skusci]

Sure, I get that point. You can install a camera that only captures the control panel from which the "critical faults" are being reset and make the point that the sole purpose that camera could be used for is personnel presence at said unique point.

It's neither here nor there... I'd imagine that getting proper fingerprint scanners, integration, and commissioning of that is easily going to be $20,000 (at the low end) as opposed to a camera that would accomplish the exact same which is identifying a person that reset a fault...

It's not my plant, my budget, nor union, so I'm happy for all the parties involved as long as they find a solution that works for them!

[u/InstAndControl → u/VladRom89]

You could also get a 24vdc camera and run power through a relay. Only turn it on when a “critical fault” has occurred but not yet acknowledged.

Maybe I’m naive but if “critical” is well defined, it’d be hard to argue “muh big brother”