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BobB

NB Designer

21 posts in this topic

I have just installed NB Designer and am finding it very clunky and certainly not intuitive. The manual appears to have gone back to Jinglish too - not real good. Is it just me? I have found NS Designer to be pretty good but cannot say the say for NB Designer. Driving me nuts!

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Unlike NS serie, it's not really an Omron product, they just put their name on it. I use Maple product now (Weinteck), 30% the price of NS serie, but the result is almost as good. (Unlike NP/NV/NB...)

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+1 for the Maple Systems! I stopped using the NS about 3 years ago because of spooky problems with the data logs. The Maple Systems HMI's do a lot more and are about 1/3 the price.

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It is just that there is a special here on CP1E and the 5" NB screens - good for inexpensive jobs - less accounts to carry - less paper work for me - that is a big bonus and not worth trying to save the few dollars extra. Additionally I would have thought that Omron would have written the programming software and kept it similar to Designer - perhaps not. I do like the NS screens and really have no trouble getting enough money in jobs to pay for them. Have also used Beijer lately for sunlight readable screens rather than Red Lion - not too fussed with them. The biggest issue I find these days is that customers expect screens to be mini SCADA systems these days with lots of animation and that sort of stuff.

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Hi, I guess this shows the difference between a product "Made In Japan" with integrated software suite versus cheap and cheerful made god knows where. BB

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This statement is incorrect. Omron makes the NB hardware.

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In the past i worked with NT2S, and NP serie. I did not liked them but know they were not produced by OMRON. I tried the demo of NB Designer and was... ahemmm...ok was... sure they did the same thing. Apoligize if i was wrong with it. So different from NS series. Why do they would have done something so different? Maybe you meant they make the hardware only? Edited by pfort

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What about the HMI quality itself? I just ordered an NB7 for the first time. I can deal with clunky software as long as the display quality is good. The specs seem to indicate good quality. I'm putting it on a machine with a CP1H.

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Regarding the NB quality, I think you will be pleased with the product. I have spent a little time with this product (not as much as I should). I understand BobB's concern with the software. It is nothing like CX-Designer. It would have been helpful to keep terminology the same. The manual does cover everything, based on my experience. I would agree that the writing style is not on par with the CX-One manuals. Based on the past, guessing that will improve with the next version.

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I have found the hardware fine so far - just that the software and manuals take a bit to get under control. Like everything else I guess - takes a bit of time.

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OK so I'm two days into the NB7 programming and I agree with "clunky and jinglish". Hardware display seems pretty good. Software on the other hand...horrible. It doesn't follow the lead of the other CX softwares at all. I had trouble with the USB drivers on two different computers so I switched to serial download. After the first download I couldn't connect again on either comm port...lol. Finally got USB to work on one computer. No "momentary" type pushbutton....are you kidding me Omron?? Or are you just hiding it from me in all the clutter? No user friendly clock setting feature either (dip switches and system menu only). Maybe it will get better as I use it more! Tomorrow I try the alarming and trending....yikes!

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I am just about to re-invest some time in NB Designer unfortunately. Yes - it is pretty horrible in my view. Will probably have to spend more money and go back to the NS. Defeats the purpose a bit. Although it may be OK - I am using it on a standard product so will only have to suffer it once!

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Momentary switch is set with the type called RESET. ON sets a bit ON, OFF resets a bit, TOGGLE switches to opposite status, and RESET is the momentary one.

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It drives me wild how Crossbow keeps up with the Omron line while still doing a great job moderating the Mits forum.

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Thanks for that Crossbow! I saw Reset in the drop down list and never even considered it. They really should call it Momentary!

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I've just recently been working with the Omron products again on a new project. Trying to come up to speed, and will help out in any forum I can.

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Has anyone found a way too have a time and date display (programmable) for the NB screens like in the NS? Absolute pain having to show an operator how to do it in the system where they can really muck something else up.

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I haven't tried it yet but it looks like it can be done with numeric inputs. Edited by ECSI

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Hi, Bob. It can be done and ESCI is right about the LW words. I had to build a display screen to do it. See below:

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Thank you Jay - struggling with NB Designer.

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Bob, I'll always be an NS Jedi, but never a NB Wookie.

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