what is the best way to capture data and store

Hi guys
I have a few issues and thoughts on a machine we have and would like to capture so data for 3 mixes/complete cycles .
I have a micrologix and a PvP on one machine (weigher) , a compactlogix and PvP on another machine (liquids) the issue I have is as there is two machines transfering healthy signals ,call liquid signals over Ethernet I would like to capture the signals have been sent/received for 3 mixes .the reason for this is that I have had the machine not drop the liquid into the weigher so i need to help us understand if it is a coms issue as its an intermittent issue .
What's the best way to display this on a screen (data capture )
I thought if I could create a heartbeat signal for the Ethernet (which I haven't done before) and enter that into a fifo which moves every cycle ? And then do the same for the call and receive signals over a fifo as well?
Does this make sense, I'm thinking out loud? Is this the way to go or can anyone see an issue or a better way , thanks
stu

Where are you stu?

I don't know your system or the speed it operates at but I'd probably get the signals to set/reset some status bits and display that on a temp SCADA screen to try and get some idea of where the problem was.

Hi chris I'm in Milton Keynes, I'm just trying to improve my knowledge in the Plc programming, I need to capture the Ethernet heartbeat which I could do via timers and bits ,I'm trying to find a day to capture sequence data to help us fault find , i have seen your website and data capture and diagnosis is your bread and butter, any ideas

Stu

Its difficult to advise you without knowing exactly what the issues are and what you are trying to measure. There are many other ways to do this but if you are looking for a basic heartbeat, for CLX I prefer to use a produced and consumed tag at each end to set and reset a timer, moving the timer acc value to a variable or indexed array and then trending the values. It gives a reasonable idea of latency for real data rather than a ping etc.

Opps, I just realised that one PLC is micrologix, so I would use messaging.

We are having issue with the two systems (but don't know which one) it's an intermittent fault .that we don't get oil in the mixer.

We have a call signal from the weigher (micrologix ) to the liquids panel (CLX) all the signal are all over the Ethernet messaging bit, .

I would like to get a build up of info for the call signal (bits) and display on the pvp screen over 3 mixes period ( hence FIFO thought for the display )
The data would be that we have received a bit and displayed by a tick on a ok on the Hmi .

In the liquid/weigher programs we have message instruction ,for the call signals but nothing for Ethernet capture or to see if we had the liquids delivered that's why I thought it would help us finding the issue .
Thanks for your help .stu

Are your messages confirmed by the receiving PLC ?

PLC A sends a bit to PLC B. This bit could stay on in PLC A until PLC B sends back a confirmation bit