DH+ Network to wonderware

[KTM Rider 0]

Looking for some advice on going from a DH+ network to probably ethernet...replacing the existing kt card in the pc as newer pc's dont have the bus system for the old kt card. The new pc will be running win 7. Probably the most help I need is with which Wonderware I/O server to use with the ethernet communications to the DH+ nodes in the plant.... Thanks for any help

[OkiePC 14]

The best path forward mainly depends on how many nodes you have on DH+. If there are more than a few, then you may want to use a Controllogix Gateway. (power supply, chassis, ENBT card, DHRIO card). My current employer did this before I came on board, so I have not had to set one up from scratch, but most all of our devices "talk" through the gateway just fine. The few things we have had issues with are things like downloading through the gateway and then through a SLC to a Panelview on CH0 DH485 using pass through. All the basic stuff like HMI traffic and messaging between SLCs has worked very well. I would expect that you'll not have major hassles getting your SCADA package to talk to devices via the gateway. I have not used Wonderware, but we have Factory Talk View SE, iFix, and RSView32 talking to DH+ devices through our gateway. We are down to four nodes left on DH+ so the whole thing may go away sometime soon. The other possibilities might be to install a NET-ENI (or Digi One IAP) serial to ethernet device at each PLC and bridge from it's ethernet port to serial. This can work even if the serial port is in use for a local device if you use the Digi product, but is not going to be as fast as DH+ or Ethernet, being bottle-necked by the serial port speed. We have a boatload of Digi One's, and a few NET-ENI modules here too. They all work pretty good too, allowing us to use ethernet based HMI's and remote programming over ethernet as well as peer-peer messaging between various flavors of the SLC. The Digi One IAP has been a better performer here than the NET-ENI. The gateway using Controllogix comm cards is the most robust method, and will cost quite a bit, but the installation is easier and the results are much better than a handful of serial to ethernet bridge devices. Edited 8 Feb 2012 by OkiePC

[Ken Moore 23]

I also recommend the CLX chassis as a bridge to ethernet. I am not familiar with the Wonder Ware driver, but you have to specify the CIP path for the various PLC's this can be a little difficult the first time. With RSLynx it is seamless , works great

[BobLfoot 301]

We've got Wonderware and for a while were using a CLGX Gateway. All our processsors have now graduated to ethernet. I think its the DAS Server we use in Wonderware. I know we tried using RSlinx and ran into issues with tag counts and loss of comms. All this went away when we went to strictly the Wonderware/Intouich Servers.

[KTM Rider 0]

Thanks a ton for all the input. After reading your comments and talking to ww tech I have decided to go the way of the 1756DHRIO card and put it into an existing CLX chassis that is already led back to my ww pc via ethernet ...so all I have to purchase is the 1 card. Also the ww ABCIP DA server without RSLinx just makes for less "stuff" to deal with. Thanks again

[Michael Lloyd 85]

Have you considered Kepware as the driver? If I'm not mistaken it comes packaged in Wonderware.