Rmedrano

Well, If all is configured correctly hardware wise.. you should be able to see all connected PLC's in RSWho.. I could not see them originally because the HUB that everything was running to was locked up. Once I reset it I could see all the PLC's I was confused at first and thought that I had to drill down to the locations of the data in RSLinx. That is all done in the client software. Create and name your topic in RSLinx then in your client you need to use its Viewer to look at that Topic and then drill down to the data you wish to use. At least thats how it is working here. What I found out the hard way is that My Client required an OPC server that is OPC 1.0 DA compliant. Linx is 2.0A so my client was not working correctly, i could see the topics and data locations in the topic, but the client could not get and actual data from the Server or PLC, I ended up having to have some custom software developed by the people who make my client. Basically a software wedge that sits between the server and my client. They are coming into the plant today to test it out.

Ok, time to ressurect old Threads! You guys were instrumental in me getting my last Omron Panel Meter talking to a computer.. as I moved through the plant Ive come across another panel meter, but have two problems. 1. This is a completly different model panel meter then the last one. This one is a K3TX, the old one was a K3NX. 2. The old one had a communications board already in it, this one does not. Will the same comm board work for both panels? the connections look very similar. Will the command that worked for the display value on the K3NX also work for the K3TX? Ive looked on Omrons web site, but for some reason my companies net nanny program blocks omrons Tech support section out. It wasnt doing that before.

The SPC software is called WinSPC from a company called DataNet Yes the test client would connect and I could view the data from the PLC I havent tried the Makitron OPC server yet actually. Im going to try a demo of a server called KEPServerEX today if I get time.

There really is no way for me to change anything on the client side. In my client i basically set up a device that is going to be used to collect data, In this case the OPC server, so I select RSlinx OPC Server in the browser. Then in this SPC software (*Which is the client) when i set up a variable to collect data into, I then point it to the particular topic that was set up in RSLinx and then drill down to the data location. I got a piece of software that simulates a PLC and OPC server, and was able to connect to it and get data into my client. I dont know what Im doing differntly in RSlinx that its not working. Ive got this sinking feeling after talking with the guys who make the client that RSLinx is basically just not compatable with my client. Which means I blew $500 on a useless piece of software. RSlinx is listed on the OPCFOUNDATION.ORG site as being 1.0 and 2.0 Data Access Compatable... so much for accurate info.

well I didnt look at it, but I am going to try installing the demo version of it If i am unsucessful with RSLinx I had sent a question off to rockwell, and this was the response I got regaurding RsLinx OPC compatability >>>In response to your e-mail: >>> >>>Any OPC Server that is 2.0x compliant is by definition 1.0x compliant. Does >>>the OPC Test Client work? Do you have topics that point to the processor? If >>>not, check the RSLinx activation, that is make sure you are not using RSLinx >>>Lite. Make sure topics are configured correctly. >>> >>>Is the OPC Client on the same computer as RSLinx? If not you need RSLinx >>>Gateway and install the Remote OPC Client. I havent tried the OPC client yet...waiting for my IT department to install it for me. I have topics set up, and can drill down in my OPC client all the way to the data locations I need.. Im pretty sure the activation is correct because it says RSLINX OEM on the top window bar, but i could be wrong on this depending on how they have it coded. As far as topics being configured correctly how would I be able to check this? I assumed if the were incorrectly configured I wouldnt be able to see them in my client. Im an OPC newbie though so the possability of me doing something wrong is pretty high.

Well Some of you might recall, I am involved in a project to try and get a Statistical Process Control Program hooked up to one of our machines. Right now my main problem is that the client software(SPC) is only OPC DA 1.0 complient, RSlinx is a DA 2.0 server. So my client is not recieving any information. I am able to browse and find my PLC through the client and point it to particular data locations in the PLC, but it never gets any data. I have used Iconics OPC Server simulator in testing and successfuly connected and grabed data into the client, so i know my setup should be good. Does anyone know of a way to get a 2.0 server talking to a 1.0 client? Maybe theres some sort of software wedge available? If not does anyone know what OPC servers are DA 1.0 complient? In my searching most of them do not have that information listed. Thanks in advance for any help.

The data monitoring button is greyed out when I try to click on it. I take it that its only a feature in RSLinx Professional. I have the OEM version. I guess my question is I dont really get how to configure the OPC topic to point to the data that I want. Once I have the address of the data in the PLC, how do I set up Linx so that my OPC client can see the data? I dont see anywhere to put in the information, and the Help files in RSLinx are very very vague.

Ok, I can see the PLC's now. I know i need to configure Topics. Do i need to know exactly what the data locations are in the PLC, or will it allow me to view all the data coming off the PLC and let me just pick and choose?

Its plugged into a hub.. Ill have to check on being able to get to a dos prompt... as a Shop Floor Computer doesnt have that ability.. have to have one of our IT guys look at it. One thing that an engineer just mentions to me as I was typing my above response is that I need to be careful when going online with the PLC. I guess when they did it with RSLogix that the Robots on the machine lost track of where they were when the Computer linked with the PLC and almost crashed them. Scary LOL Nothing like crashing multi million dollar machinery : ) <>

Ok, Ive got a copy of RSLINX OEM. Got it installed and running on the PC thats inbetween the two Machines out on the shop floor. I believe that each machine has an SLC 5/05 in it. From reading the help files I take it that one needs to set up a driver to communicate with the PLC's The PLC's are hooked up via ethernet, and my IT guys gave me the addresses for each PLC and the local PC. 10.41.98.2 PLC 1 10.41.98.4 PLC 2 10.41.98.6 PC I didnt see SLC 5/05 listed as an option in the driver selection drop down box, but there are two of them that mention ethernet. One is Ethernet the other is Ethernet/IP If i choose one i dont get any connections. If i choose the other and type in the IP's of the PLC's that Im trying to connect to after browsing for a while RSLINX says it finds the nodes, but theres is a big yellow question mark, and then it puts a red X through them and says not recognized. Is there something im missing? or something im not doing correctly? If the PLC's were not connected at all it shouldnt find anything at all correct? Ive seen some other engineers and electricians connect to the PLC's via ethernet before when these machines were brought in... so I know its possible to connect.. just not sure what im doing or not doing that its not letting me get in there.

Yeah thats what i figured.. but thought i might get lucky. LOL

Heh actually, AB is supposed to be the standard in the plant.. and there is an actuall AB PLC in that gage with the omron panel.. but the PLC is just used to turn on and off a green or red light if the part is within spec, and to control the timing of the expanding mandrel.

Quick followup question. The data im getting back from the gage is a string value with no decimal place. if my gage display reads 6.0285 then the gage sends 60285 to the computer i then have to have the program take that value and divide by 10000 to get the correct reading, which isnt hard, but I lose some functionality of the SPC program because the way the program is coded there is no way to run certain tests on a value that is derived from an equasion. is there a way to make it send the data with the decimal place intact?

Ok so you have to have BOTH RSLogix and RSlinx Professional running on the PC to get data? I was under the impression that RS Linx Prof and my SPC program would be the only 2 programs that needed to be up and active. Im trying to keep the amount of Running and open apps to a minimum. Trying to keep the system as stable as possible. It can get quite hot on our shop floor in the summer months, and that usually leads to some Computer instability when the workload on them increases. But if thats what we need to do.. so be it. I just gotta convince em to spend the cash on the software. I think we have RSLinx OEM... whatever version came bundled with the RSLogix Programming Software. Im not familiar with these software packages at all really, so excuse my ignorance.

ODBC setup