Well, I was assigned the project because "somebody's gotta do it" and I was available! Also, it is definitely an interesting project. Budget-wise, it is a whatever-it-takes style though I would prefer to go as cheap as we can. Much of the work has been DIY for other components: solenoids, pressure regulators, switches, sensors, etc and I don't mind getting my hands dirty. On the other hand, if I can purchase something that does it for me, that is often more reliable and cheaper in the long run.
Regarding the ethernet, the answer is "yes-ish." The actual assembly will not have a local computer but is accessed by ethernet (this is already in place for the pneumatics control system and data logging aspects). So ethernet is available and simple to use for it. However, I do have analog and digital outputs available as the assembly (these are controlled over ethernet and some of the channels are being used for the other components in place). So, if there is some way to use the analog or digital signals that would be fine as well.