FH vision sensor controller external monitoring and DB connection

[_Pavel_ 0]

Dear Colleagues,

could someone give a general tip what is the proper approach to the following task

The customer wants to install up to 5 cameras FH and to collect data from cameras into his database (DB). Cameras are proposed to be used to inspect the web, being rewinded into rolls. The web (roll) has many defects (say roll is 500 m and there could be 100 defect points on the web within the roll). So the camera is to make 100 shots and the pictures must fall into to the existing DB, and in that DB the pictures are to be connected to the certain roll. At any time the inspector can come into DB, find a roll say #12345 which has been produced a month ago and realize, that roll #12345 has defects at points 12 m, 23m, 45m, etc.

What is the correct approach for this task? I thnk about the following

FH controllers -> via Ethernet IP -> NJ PLC -> via Ethernet IP -> Kepware OPC Server -> any SCADA for remote monitoring/control -> via COM/OLE -> customers's client which takes data from OPC or SCADA and puts into his DB.

Does this approach make sense? Can there be better solution?

My questions:

1. Does Kepware OPC Server provide COM/OLE interfaces for the external clients to exchange data?

2. Does Omron Supervisor SCADA provide COM/OLE interfaces for the external clients to exchange data?

3. If 2 = NO, then - could you please prompt any SCADA that can connect to  Omron NJ and provides COM/OLE interfaces for the external clients to exchange data?

Many thanks, any comments are appreciated!

[innoaloe 59]

4 hours ago, _Pavel_ said:

My questions:

1. Does Kepware OPC Server provide COM/OLE interfaces for the external clients to exchange data?

2. Does Omron Supervisor SCADA provide COM/OLE interfaces for the external clients to exchange data?

3. If 2 = NO, then - could you please prompt any SCADA that can connect to  Omron NJ and provides COM/OLE interfaces for the external clients to exchange data?

Many thanks, any comments are appreciated!

1. Kepware OPC Server does provide such OLE interfaces, but for Omron NJ what I know so far they released it separately, although I don't know whether it's in the form of additional driver (which means you need to buy the standard package first) or you can purchase that type only.
2. Latest Omron CX-Supervisor (V3) already provide connection to NJ. When you purchase CX-Supervisor V3 and it's Runtime, you will be equipped with Sysmac Gateway software which is the actual OPC. Through this you can import Variables from NJ directly without remapping them.

As an alternative, if you actually didn't require any user interface screen at all (which SCADA provides), you can instead use the Omron NJ-DB Series CPU which provides direct database connectivity to some common Database engines (SQL Server, OracleDB, MySQL are in the list). You can connect this CPU directly to the network of the Database Server and throws data into the tables directly when you need it.

I'd personally prefer this approach since faster data logging can be achieved (with SCADA you will be limited by SCADA's refresh rate. With NJ-DB you can log every CPU Cycle). If by any chance the user need the GUI to display the database contents, it is quite easy to produce with Excel (Excel can connect to a Database Server easily), or you can make some custom program based on Java or some other language.

Edited 23 Aug 2017 by innoaloe

[_Pavel_ 0]

innoaloe, thank you!

>>  Latest Omron CX-Supervisor (V3) already provide connection to NJ

OK, but does it provide any mean to read data from it with external application?

>>  Omron NJ-DB Series CPU which provides direct database connectivity

Just afraid of this approach. The DB is existing plant DB, keeping already lots of information, having it's admin and respectieve client software. So I consider first that I provide necessary data and interfaces to read this data for the DB supporting people.

So the basic solution I would propose to customer I would have SCADA for my system monitoring and any interfaces for external connection to my SCADA or to my OPC. Better directly  to OPC for better data rate (I hope). Could you please confirm that CX-Supervisor V3 Runtime and Sysmac Gateway is enough for that?

Edited 23 Aug 2017 by _Pavel_

[innoaloe 59]

Just now, _Pavel_ said:

>>  Latest Omron CX-Supervisor (V3) already provide connection to NJ

OK, but does it provide any mean to read data from it with external application?

>>  Omron NJ-DB Series CPU which provides direct database connectivity

Just afraid of this approach. The DB is existing plant DB, keeping already lots of information, having it's admin and respectieve client software. So I consider first that I provide necessary data and interfaces to read this data for the DB supporting people.

So the basic solution I would propose to customer I would have SCADA for my system monitoring and any interfaces for external connection to my SCADA or to my OPC. Better directly  to OPC for better data rate (I hope). Could you please confirm that CX-Supervisor V3 Runtime and Sysmac Gateway is enough for that?

1. You can create a Database Connection from CX-Supervisor to access an existing DB, so instead of the DB reading data from it, CX-Supervisor can write it's data to the DB instead
2. The fastest PLC data update rate using CX-Supervisor is per 1 second, unless you're doing it through scripts, but it will cause overheads sometimes.

Instead of using CX-Supervisor,  personally I prefer to use CX-Compolet instead. It's some kind of DLL library that you can use to develop GUI application using Visual Studio or other .NET compatible IDE. This will give you much more better data throughput, although of course understanding of .NET programming is required.

If you prefer to use CX-Supervisor, best approach is to buffer multiple data first inside NJ (let's say array of 50 words or so, depending on your inspection speed). Afterwards per certain interval CX-Supervisor will read these data then write in order into the Database. It is much more bandwidth efficient and ensuring your data is not lost.