HMI, PC or what else to monitor?

[asteroidehk 1]

Hello Friends

 

I have 10 machines with Micrologix PLCs in the plant (1100 and 1400), I need to monitor  in a central HMI or PC, the status of this machines, like Run, Fault, Standby.
What do you recommend to get, an HMI or PC or what else?
If HMI, which HMI?
If PC, which software? Maybe FactoryTalk ViewPoint?
Another software? which one?

 

If is it posible, would be great if I can monitor from outside of the Plant. I can get a connection to internet.

 

Thanks in advance.:)

[TimWilborne 108]

You'll get infinite opinions on this one, but I'm partial to the Red Lion HMIs.  It can talk to numerous PLCs, has great customer support, and a built in web server so that you can view from outside the plant if your network allows.

http://www.redlion.net/products/industrial-automation/hmis-and-panel-meters/hmi-operator-panels

[Mark- 17]

Hello,

PeakHMI might be a good fit for you.

 

[Michael Lloyd 85]

Red Lion HMI's are nice

Nematron's, made by Weintek, are pretty nice. Their software is free, Like the Red Lion, and you can import Control Logix tags and UDT's. They are easy to learn and easy to program. The panels that we use have ethernet and serial ports. Touch screens. Color or monochrome.

C-More panels are pretty nice too. I actually like those a lot but have only used one

The big dollar solutions like Wonderware and ClearSCADA are both nice. I'm partial to ClearSCADA these days because we have integrated it with Control Logix so tightly that it's almost like configuring a DCS

[JRoss 84]

HMI vs SCADA depends on what you want to do with it. Generally speaking, SCADA is more complex to deploy, but gives you a lot more capability, though things have been converging lately. As in HMIs are getting more capable and SCADA is getting easier and cheaper.

If you only need a display at one location (especially if that location is on the production floor) and don't need a historian, I'll second (third?) a Red Lion HMI.