Remote access to PLC

[RalphW 0]

Greetings, I have numerous PLCs in the field on mobile equipment. What, in the group's modest opinion, would be the best, easiest, and/or cheapest method of remotely logging into a PLC installed on a vehicle? My company spends too much money now throwing parts at problems (i.e. sending out new pre-programmed PLC's) hoping to clear up the problem when we don't really know if the technician is just not telling us everything or the PLC is actually bad or not. Ideally I would like to require all of our distributors (who do not have PLC trained mechanics) to get a set of equipment that would allow me and my co-workers to "log" into a troublesome PLC and troubleshoot the issues. Or even make program distribution downloads if we had to. When my customers have vehicles down...someone ain't making money!!! So...bottom line. How would you guys solve this issue? Cell phones? Internet Connections? VPNs? What? I'm open to any idea. I thought about using cell phones and bluetooth connections, but haven't gotten a chance to get deep enough into it. Thanks in advance. Ralph

[TimWilborne 108]

I hate computers. Once I install a PLC I try to make it so I don't have to hook my laptop up to unless we are making a change. Instead of throwing parts at it or coming up with a way to link up to the equipment which will undoubtly end up in a dead zone as far a communications, why not write some good diagnostics routines into the PLC and put a small HMI or some type of read out on it that will give numeric fault codes. While this won't fix the problem it will point to a limit switch or the wire going to the limit switch instead of shooting in the dark. The travel expense alone would probably pay for the display

[Sleepy Wombat 27]

Yes i have seen and kinda got involved a little with a similar setup.. whereby the truck would do a self diagnostic on itelf to make sure it was safe to operate etc and send that back to base...otherwise the truck would go into a limp mode so to speak... i believe that you could conect remotely to it ... it had a GSM modem. Comm;s are slow over this type of link so any changes would have to be minimal...

[edpuente 0]

Hi: I am working on application based on the Omron Ethernet UDP FINS Sample so I´ll be able to monitor a PLC remotly by the internet. I guess you should follow the same direction so with a lap top you could monitor the PLC. Regards Edgar

[Eric Apperley 0]

1. As the 1st respondent said - keep it simple! 2. If you have to go the radio way, what range are you requiring? We've done .NET Pocket PC bluetooth to PLC (could equally well be SmartPhone bluetooth to PLC) but the development is NOT trivial. We've invested a lot of hours in that work and its certainly not for the faint hearted! The bluetooth dongle adds a cost to the PLC - that may well not be acceptable in the scheme of things....