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Thomas Kripner

FTView SE (RSViewSE) - need reporting

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I need some reporting software for an A-B HMI RSView SE to be able to create the production tables and charts. I am using Factory Talk View (RSView SE), but I found no option to do so. I also need to transfer data from RSView into Excel. I have tried a Rockwell Historian, but it is too expensive and much too complicated to use. I have also tried the MRPA Historian (www.mrpa.eu). From the downloaded demo, it seems to work with RSView SE dataloggers directly and can export to Excel and PDF also I was able to create reports with charts for as a web page. I still don't know if I should buy it (I probably need full version). Someone with any experience with this software. Should I buy?

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Data historians are incredibly high priced, probably due to the fact that most are built upon a Microsoft SQL server license (~$10K for a license). You will want to do some preliminary calculations up front...how many and types of tag data (i.e., discrete - motor start, integer - part count, analog - temperature, etc.), time between data points (i.e., temp every second, part count at end of every 15 min cycle, etc.). Also consider alarm historian (typically these are add-on to data historians, but may be a bonus feature). Also, how will you access the data (i.e., Ethernet/IP, through a PLC gateway, etc.). What is the objective of the data historian - the business purpose. Many companies spend the time and money to archive data with no sound business purpose. What you wind up with in the end is a pig's nest of data for no reason. So consider how important is the data (should the data be backed up redundantly) or how far back you should go to back up the data (purge after 6 months). The golden question is what will happen with the data? Often, companies build a framework for data collection, then push their IT group to modify or create custom reports (data mining), which can often get shoveled to the end of a long IT project backlog. A way around that is to look at a data historian that includes or options a reporting feature. Consider the need for shift reports, daily reports, downtime reports. One grey area is getting data from PLCs into the historian. Most historians (or data pigs), use an OPC connection to pull in data (seldom do Historians communicate directly with PLCs to pull in data). Once you know what types of datapoints, datapoint duration (Delta-T), communication method, backup requirements and reporting requirements, and the communication layer, then you can look at solution options. The big dogs for data historian (and reporting)...WonderWare Historian (replaced InSQL), GE Proficy (formerly Intellution), CiTect Historian, Rockwell FactoryTalk Historian, AspenTech Historian http://global.wonderware.com/EN/Pages/Wond...eHistorian.aspx http://www.ge-ip.com/products/2420 http://www.citect.com/index.php?option=com...amp;Itemid=1602 http://www.rockwellautomation.com/rockwell...data/historian/ http://www.aspentech.com/partners/data_historian_eval.cfm There are cheaper, low-feature products out there I have had success using. Such as WebDock http://www.webdock.net/ If this is a path your company/customer plan to pursue, then I suggest doing some homework by bringing in sales reps from all of the above key players. A note to compare each company on, other than price, is support. Each of these companies has different support strategies (support may be something that has to be purchased, support may come from a regional office or a worldwide office). Lastly, ask for referrals to similar customers so that you can ask them the ins/outs/ups/downs of their solution. I have found each of these companies to have features better or worse than the others.

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First of all, sorry about my english! Thomas, I have the same problem! In my developed application, I couldn't find a report application in FTView SE, so I'm making my report by hand! I made a display with all I need to show at the report, including the chart reading data from Data Log, and using VBA, I: - open the display - wait to refresh the chart, showing only the time slice I need, changing at VBA the chart timespan - copy the values for the Tags, linked to string or numeric displays - using the software PDFCreator, print the display to PDF, changing the name of the file every time - close the display This is the main idea, but it isn't working yet! Well, the only problem is the print display, where the chart at the runtime display shows all the data, but when the PDF is generated, the chart is empty at the file. As soon as I solve this problem, I'll change the default printer to really print the display. About transfer data from RSView into Excel, I never did that with Rockwell products, only with WinCC.

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I know this is an old post, but it comes up in Google so it's nice to update the current status of Reporting.  Dream Report was added to the Encompass Program in 2019, and is the preferred industrial reporting solution for Rockwell products.  In September of 2019 Ocean Data Systems (makers of Dream Report) licensed FactoryTalk and is in the process of adding it to the product.  Dream Report offers connectivity to a variety of Rockwell products today through either purpose built drivers, and standards like OPC (with more connectivity on the way).  Visit DreamReport.net for more information.

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