Use a Computer to replace a Circuit Board

[gatewood]

Hello everyone!

I've come across a washing machine with a damaged circuit board thats way to pricey to warrant replacement, so, I remembered a concept I had some years ago.

Is it possible, feasible or at least, worthwhile to completely bypass the circuitry of some machines and appliances with your own, and have it controlled with a commercial computer?

 

[crutschow]

s it possible, feasible or at least, worthwhile to completely bypass the circuitry of some machines and appliances with your own, and have it controlled with a commercial computer?

It's possible, but may not be feasible or worthwhile.
It will require a detailed knowledge of what the original board did, and then design a computer board with all the necessary interfaces, and write a program to perform all the functions.
Definitely not a small task.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Certainly possible, but more practical to do it with a micro-controller (which is what the original one will use, if it's any kind of 'modern' machine).

Either is certainly possible, but expect to spend a great deal of time and money doing it, considerably more than buying a new circuit board.

 

[be80be]

I used a pic microchip to replace a commercial dryer broad in a old dryer about 10 of them the
board fired the gas counted the money the dryers was made really good.
But they stopped making boards for them I found out why the heat was killing the boards.
There was a lot to think about tho didn't want burn down the place. But that was easy the gas had limits on it to turn off and on at set temp if the controller over ran the set temp.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

If you're doing multiple ones, and it's for a commercial product which would be VERY expensive to replace, it becomes more practical - I would suggest it's also a lot easier to do with a dryer than a washer machine.

 

[gophert]

I would suggest it's also a lot easier to do with a dryer than a washer machine.

Who bright up a washe machiner? Did I miss something in the OP? Or is this a new game that we can all play? What is it called, "non sequitur one-upmanship"?

My turn,
"I would suggest it's also a lot easier to do with a washer machine than an Roomba floor cleaner. "

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Who bright up a washe machiner? Did I miss something in the OP? Or is this a new game that we can all play? What is it called, "non sequitur one-upmanship"?

My turn,
"I would suggest it's also a lot easier to do with a washer machine than an Roomba floor cleaner. "

Perhaps you might like to try reading the thread, which is about a washing machine

 

[be80be]

Yelp the washer be a lot of work
But if you can post a brand maybe we can help you find the flow chart which greatly cuts the
job in haft.
Or even luckier a cross that will fit and save you making one.

Most washer problems are switch or relay or buttons I've fixed them too.

 

[be80be]

Perhaps you might like to try reading the thread, which is about a washing machine

There is a lot of that now days

 

[dr pepper]

An industrial Plc is used for commercial washing machines, unforunately one of these and all the gear required would cost more than a resonable new domestic machine.
A microcontroller would be made to do the job, if you have the skills.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

An industrial Plc is used for commercial washing machines.

I suspect it rather depends on what you mean by a 'commercial washing machine'?.

I wouldn't expect anything remotely 'manufactured in a factory' to do so.

 

[be80be]

I've never seen any at Laundry mats I worked on that had plc in them

 

[dr pepper]

I had an interview at one place that dyed fabric, they had some cherrytree washing machines, they were sizeable, the controller was a mitsubishi F1, long since obsolete, that was one of the reasons they were looking for someone with electronics experience like a telly basher.
If you look at the vid at 0.38, there looks to be a Mitsubishi Plc.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I had an interview at one place that dyed fabric, they had some cherrytree washing machines, they were sizeable, the controller was a mitsubishi F1, long since obsolete, that was one of the reasons they were looking for someone with electronics experience like a telly basher.
If you look at the vid at 0.38, there looks to be a Mitsubishi Plc.

Not a 'commercial washing machine', it's a piece of industrial plant, hence why it's controlled as such.

 

[Musicmanager]

I've come across a washing machine with a damaged circuit board

Do you have a make and model for this machine ??

 

[picbits]

Hello everyone!

I've come across a washing machine with a damaged circuit board thats way to pricey to warrant replacement, so, I remembered a concept I had some years ago.

Is it possible, feasible or at least, worthwhile to completely bypass the circuitry of some machines and appliances with your own, and have it controlled with a commercial computer?

I did exactly this many years ago. It went rather viral and I was voted "Geek of the week" on Beta.com

To date, it was still one of the most challenging projects I've done, trying to control a drum full of unbalanced washing at a precise speed isn't as easy as you may think. I used a PIC18F1320 for the controller chatting to a PC via Serial. The PIC did the I/O and timing for the phase control of the motor and the PC held the main program and routines. It was affectionately nicknamed "The Frankenwasher" online and ran on "Winwash 2000" ......

I'd just about perfected the PID routines and got it running nicely when my wife came back with a new machine !

 

[dr pepper]

I think I remember that.
Do you really need precise speed to wash your stinkers!
I played around with a pid on a universal motor, a grinder, I found the input power response to be really non linear and difficult to control.

 

[picbits]

Think about 10kg+ of wet washing in a clump in the drum. Drive it up too fast and it will all clump then vibrate the machine to bits. Drive too slowly and it tumbles nicely but never balances or it will suddenly take off when the clothes all move at the same time. It was quite an experience getting it all correct.

 

[be80be]

I think the OP be better served reading this https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.736.2729&rep=rep1&type=pdf

 

[dr pepper]

Yes of course there will be some science in getting the machinery to work.
Same in industry, just a larger scale.