Zealabs uses the highly flexible Unipi Neuron and Unipi Patron PLCs to control lockable office storage boxes. The controller is easy to integrate, supports a wide range of communication protocols, and has a variable number of inputs and outputs.
Zealabs offers comprehensive IoT digitalization services in industry, research, and other areas. It provides its clients with real-time inventory visibility, optimization of logistics operations, product retrieval efficiency, and valuable decision-making analytics. Integration with client's enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems ensures a smooth flow of information and prevents manual errors.
Challenge
Zealabs needed a highly flexible PLC to control and monitor its IoT applications. The goal was to obtain a controller that would allow easy integration with various sensors and devices, support a wide range of communication protocols, and be adaptable to the specific requirements of each project. The customer sought a device with various numbers of inputs and outputs. The availability of technical support and reasonable prices were also critical.
Solution
The customer uses Unipi Neuron and Unipi Patron units for its solution. The controller can come in three different sizes depending on the current project's needs: it varies in physical dimension and the number or combination of inputs and outputs. In addition, the customer is assured that he will not pay for technology he will not use.
The PLC controls the locking mechanism of storage boxes in offices with flexible working spaces. This means that employees do not have permanent seats; they can choose any desk in the office that fits their current workday requirements and then store their belongings in the electronic locking boxes. The solution is installed at NTT, Burda, and Czech Agricultural University in Prague (CZU).
"We were looking exactly for a Unipi device, i.e., the possibility of variability of different numbers of inputs and outputs." Adrián Čech - Senior HW Engineer, Zealabs
The customer connected his software, written in Java, to the PLC, which was made possible by the software openness of the Unipi units. Such software openness is not standard in the market. Unipi allows choosing from a wide range of available software solutions, from the officially supported Mervis platform to third-party solutions and the customer's software. This flexibility has allowed Zealabs to tailor the solution to its needs completely.
The following devices are connected to the controller:
- 7” LCD
- RFID reader
- NFC reader
- Electromagnetic cabinet locks
