OPC Servers

[YoungWint]

Hello All

And Happy New Year.

I am currently looking at a project that involves integration of three pieces of manufacturers plant.

There is to be one Siemens System and Two Rockwell systems.

The Siemens Architecture shows an interface to the rest of the plant via an OPC server. Straight away this makes me nervous because;

1. Different PLC systems
2. Relaibility of OPC for critical process control and interlocks.

Anyone with any experience of this? The OPC is useful as there is there is the possibility that the three system swill have to be combined on one MASTER SCADA interface.

However for anything critical my thought is to use an industrial strength network, such as Profibus. My thought is to have Prosoft Cards in the rockwells connected to a DP/DP coupler with the Siemens system as the other network. This gives a clean path for interplc comms.

Any thoughts and advice would be appreciated.

 

[Pudden]

Hi,

I can not say anything about the reliabilaty of the OPC solution, as I have little experience.

"My thought is to have Prosoft Cards in the rockwells connected to a DP/DP coupler with the Siemens system as the other network. This gives a clean path for interplc comms."

-->That sounds expensive. I would only use one or more gateways (Profibus slave to EtherNet/IP or DeviceNet), such as:
http://www.anybus.com/support/support.asp?PID=165&ProdType=Anybus X-gateway
or
http://www.anybus.com/support/support.asp?PID=178&ProdType=Anybus X-gateway

My 2 cents

/Patrick L

 

[JesperMP]

For anything critical, I would also not depend on OPC, or PCs.
Both the DP/DP coupler you suggest, or an ANYbus gateway as Pudden suggest, both seem acceptable solutions in my opinion.

I would prefer a Profinet IO Device to Ethernet/IP gateway rather than a Profibus slave - if there exist such a thing.

For 'regular' SCADA functionality OPC is perfect.

 

[Oceansoul]

We've used micrologix 1400 (modbus as standard) to talk with Gem80 PLC's, to get Rockwell talking with another manufacturer. I wouldnt use SCADA for interlocking.

 

[surferb]

I wouldnt use SCADA for interlocking.

+1 to what's already been said. "Interlock" raises a red flag with OPC or SCADA.

That said, as far as OPC goes, mixing SCADA vendors doesn't matter. The (free) Ignition OPC server has drivers for both that you mentioned (Siemens and AB). Kepware has a modular platform that supports hundreds of different devices with the same software package. It works great!

 

[Stephen Luft]

An OPC server enables for the connection of different devices with different communications protocols to interface to a client application. The server does the heavy lifting in terms of communications.

We represent and distribute KepserverEX OPC server from Kepware. You can find out more about what their product can do through this link:

http://www.eternity-sales.com/Kepware/Kepware.htm

There is additional information that you can view through the associated links on our web site.

You can download a fully functional version of KepserverEX to work with and learn. It is limited by a 2 hour run license. When the server times out, you can start over.

http://www.eternity-sales.com/Kepware/kepwaredownloads.htm

There is also documentation regarding all products and driver suites.

Feel free to email me through the link in my signature to discuss your application in greater detail if you are interested.

 

[ramzy2277]

Hi all

I got a question since this is my first OPC interface to make, but i already made the IO list for the DCS now my question how these tags will be refelected on SCADA, do i have to make similar IO list on SCADA, or the OPC interface will take care of that....plz i need ur advise urgently....