Programmable Relay Controller

Hey guys,

Im just getting into doing some custom stuff for myself and some friends but I dont have a whole lot of experience with this kind of stuff.  I do however have an industrial controls and automation background and thought I would apply what I know about that stuff to cars.  So I am developing a programmable relay controller.  The controller has 12 inputs, or triggers(?) which can be configured to be activated by + or -.  It also has 8 outputs, each output is relay with the common, normally open and normally closed (30,87,87a)contacts exposed to screw terminals.  They also have 10 amp fuses to protect them from wetting the contacts.  Now I am planning on using a custom version of Relay Ladder Logic to build the logic that goes between the inputs/triggers to the outputs.  RLL is a way of programming by using graphical representations of relays, time delay on/off relays, cycle counters, DIFUs and DIFDs, simple arithmatic and that kind of stuff.  I've tried to model it after the things I like about industrial controllers but make it simple to use.  So essintially you could have the logical functionality of 100s of devices inside a small package. Right now it has to be programmed with a script manually but I will be working on the graphical programming interface/compiler soon.  I thought it would be a fun thing to play with but how useful do you think something like this would be?  What do you guys think?

Here is a little video clip of the prototype running a small script to exercise the relay outputs.  The leds indicate when the coil is energized. The inputs are on the other side of the board.

http://s61.photobucket.com/albums/h61/virt001/?action=view&current=S5030363AVI.flv

ok now i got the questions after fully reading....a) how much are u spending on it. b) will u be selling them? umm ok thats the questions as far as comments that would be something i would use for lights and strobes. and if your gonna make more then one ide deffinatly be interested in learning more about it

I'd say I have about $200 in material in the prototype.  The majority of that though is in the PCB, it is rediculously expensive to have a small run of boards made.  Even then it is about two tenths the cost of a functionally comparable PLC.  As for selling them, there would have to be enough interest/demand to make them reasonably priced. With some kind of packaging and the right quantity I would expect a retail price around $150 possibly cheaper.  The software and all that kind of stuff would be free of course. 

I do have enough material to build 3 more units, one of course is for limits tests which can be destructive so Ill ultimatly have 3 in the end.  I suppose I could always make another batch.