PanelView Plus Alternatives?

[noxcuses 0]

I've been using PV+'s for several years and haven't looked around for alteratives. The cost of PV+'s is making it hard to justify projects. Any suggestions of comparable HMI's will be appreciated! Edited 19 Mar 2010 by noxcuses

[b_carlton 61]

The close tag linking of Panelview Plus and ControlLogix systems make any other combination somewhat of a kludge. Other systems offer close coupling between their PLC and Displays, even to the extent of both being within the same software package sharing intimately the tag database. For another display to overcome the PanelviewPlus when used with ControlLogix it would have to have a very close connection to the offline and online connections to the development file and the online display.

[damper 0]

Take a look at Automation Direct, their programming software is semi-easy to switch to from an AB environment. http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/Shoppi...ator_Interfaces

[PLC_man_Stan 0]

Ask you local Distributor, ours came in on wednesday telling us about a new PanlView + which is much cheaper for small projects. Obviously it has limitations such as max 25 screens, but it may be worth looking at. Not sure about any other info on them yet but i'm sure if you look round you can find something

[kaiser_will 65]

Does the HMI have to be a Plus? Going with a classic PanelView (and using PanelBuilder32) is an option. Also consider used/refurbished/surplus HMIs. There are a number of surplus controls distributors out there (I believe some advertise here). I initially came into contact with some of them through Ebay. They offer a similar Allen-Bradley warranty (1 year parts and labor). Dig into the risks and the cost differences and at least you have an option for cost control. If you want to stray away from a PV+, then the question to answer is communication protocol. Ethernet/IP, DF1, DH+, etc. Communication protocol will dictate what options for PV+ replacement. I have had integration success with GE Fanuc QuickPanel HMIs. Their cost and availability trumps most A-B offerings. The downside of straying from a PV+ solution is losing Logix tag-based integration. Depending on the number of screens and tags, tag-based Logix really cuts down a ton of integration time on my end.

[jstolaruk 9]

I believe they are refering to the Panelview Component. They feature built-in programming (via your browser I believe) so no cost for programming s/w. I can't speak for their capabilities as I've only seen one installed on a plant floor.

[TimWilborne 108]

I would look at Red Lion's G3 series http://www.redlion.net/g3features/

[ianbuckley 0]

I second the Red Lion nomination. The Kadet series is especially attractive if you have a small project.

[noxcuses 0]

I looked into these when they first came out, but they only connect to Micrologix and SLC PLC's. It would be great if they offered CLX connections.

[OkiePC 14]

The Red Lion G304K I just installed in place of a Panelview 300 Micro (standard) was like switching from Pong to Playstation 3. I bought their smallest cheapest unit ($335) (panel cut out size and cost were major criteria for me.) And it's color TFT with two serial ports, free software, and looks fantastic. It is running the application 7 seconds after I switch on the power. It is using the DH485 protocol to talk to a SLC. I can hit the page change buttons as fast as my fingers can go, and the Kadet can keep up with me. It is very responsive and has not shown any signs of hesitation. There are dozens of drivers available for all the major manufacturers and it can do things like act as a gateway between two different protocols. I have not had time to explore many of the featues but they look impressive. If you step up the the G306K (retail $799), you get a compactflash slot, ethernet and a third serial port. These things are so wide open with their capability. I am a novice with them, but I do believe they support Logix native tags now, and have a tag import feature. They just (last weekend) added an RSLogix500 .csv file tag import feature and it worked perfectly for me. I, too, am suddenly a big fan of Red Lion. There are some things you have to do a little differently in Crimson 3.0 than you do with FactoryTalkView or PB32, but it's a small price to pay for free software that installs and runs easily, and for hardware that appears to be very good stuff too. I also like the EZTouch. We only have one of them and it is in a very nasty spot, but has only died once in five years. it is definitely as rugged as the Panelview but not nearly as capable as the Red Lion G3 promises to be. I have not tried the C-More panels but they would be a good choice to from what I have read.

[b_carlton 61]

There is also the Panelview Plus Compact (scroll to the bottom of the page.) Edited 19 Mar 2010 by b_carlton