looking for suggestions ideas for a youth security compition

[1ajs]

hi i am looking for advice on what sorta plc system could be built or virtulized on the extream cheap i need a hmi of some sort that will run inside a vm install of windows real world plc suggestions on the cheap and or suggestions on smoozing one of the companies on doing a sponsorship and or loaning gear?? needs to be networkable in some way that can allow for someone to get in remotly and mess around if left un secure on the plc end and in the hmi and such... got no budget unfornataly as it is the first year of this competition all suggestions welcome need around 10 set ups from what the planners told me to make it work. Senerio is the teams have a fan thats runing and they need to secure it from someone coming in and turning it off remotly. this is for the first iteration of a highschool youth competition being set up by members of my local hackerspace (skullspace) here in Winnipeg Manitoba Canada. more inf here >> http://www.cyberdefencechallenge.ca/ i noticed a lack of industrial in their challenge and spoke up and now been tasked with building something for it Edited March 23, 2013 by 1ajs

[OkiePC]

Cheapest PLCs are to be found at Automation Direct. Most any of the low end gear can be networked with an Ethernet to serial converter. You will have to spend a little more for onboard ethernet. Their new Do-more PLC software includes a simulator. Allen Bradley Micrologix1100 would be a solid choice too. It is very heavily and widely used, and software as well as emulator for the Micrologix 1000 and 1100 can be had for free plus, the 1100 has Ethernet on board. For educational purposes, call the local A/B distributor, most of them are very helpful and they may offer you a better version of the software and loaner gear. Edited March 23, 2013 by OkiePC

[1ajs]

thanks

[kaiser_will]

Cheapest PLCs I know of...home burglar alarm system, though limited to discrete I/O. The added functionality is remote connection. Newer, low-end systems often have web servers built in. DSC is a brand I have used before. No kidding...worked for a research lab in college that could only afford burglar alarms used as simple PLCs.