Wireless Solution?

I'm looking for some ideas on what I've been asked to research...Management wants to be able to tell if various assembly fixtures are running and put their good/bad part totals into an excel spreadsheet as well as their error proofing checks (to prove to customer that they are working) I've been asked to find a wireless solution that will output the PLC data but I do not have any experience in this sort of thing. The only PLCs I have are Micrologix 1000/1200/1500. Probably 100 of them - probably 50 of them running at one time. I'm thinking Ethernet will be the only choice and with the way they move machines around wireless sure would be nice because it would allow the machines to be even more portable because we would not need a cat5 drop. The data will not be "mission critical" so the flakiness of the 802.11B or G shouldnt be that big of a deal. I'm looking to see what kind of products are available and how much..

Thanks in advance!!

Ideas

The most common way to do what you want is to use some sort of SCADA software such as iFIX or RSViewto collect the data and store it to a network database. If you have any IT people in house, they should know about this sort of thing and you should work closely with them to implement something like this. I must say though, that I have no experience with processors as small as the 1000's, but this is how everything like you described I have seen is done.

Ask management first how much they want to spend. If they say keep it under $5000 or something else ridiculous then it is not even worth your time investigating methods.
Regards Alan Case

Wireless solution

I did a similar set-up recently, although not wireless, to track and log(Excel)real time machine production. I used National Instruments Lookout SCADA package. It was fairly simple to do, me not being an IT guy, but the others are correct, you need some heavy bucks to do it right. I only had 6 machines, and total was about 10K. I will add that the great thing about the SCADA package is the ability to expand the tasks to add thing like alarming, paging, etc.
Check out Automation Direct's website to see some wireless gear that seems pretty resonable.
Let us know how it comes out!!

Yeah the owner is under the assumption that you just buy a $100 dollar piece of equipment and you "talk" to PCs and output data....

It seems your looking for a wireless E-net Bridge.

http://www.bb-elec.com/product.asp?sku=AWK-1100-US&TrailType=Sub&Trail=27

About $600.OO per node..

I saw some wireless remote setups in a Phoenix Connector van today. Some are single direction transmitters. The product line seems to be quite flexible.

wireless

Hey! I think I used to work for that guy! Seriously though, do you really need to go wireless? With that many machines(100?)I would think that the cost of the transmitters would be cost prohibitive. Is it possible I wonder to group machines (maybe 10)to one transmitter? I think this is a very interesting question, and I look forward to any suggestions as i have never done a wireless application.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=188291&CatId=1594

I've used this. Works great for the bit of data I dump off of it, and a quick programming change as well.

CroCop said:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=188291&CatId=1594

I've used this. Works great for the bit of data I dump off of it, and a quick programming change as well.

Click to expand...

Hijack Question: We have hardwired E-net. However I'd like to provide a wireless connection for a few laptops. Can I use that device, plugged into our network switch to provide a wireless connection for the wireless laptops?

The reason for using wireless is because they are always moving machines around and do not want to worry about patch cable drops..its bad enough dealing with the electricity and air lines...

I think that unit CroCrop just posted will work - I will need to use the NET-ENI module to get ethernet from Com 0 of my micros...Thanks for all of your help guys now I have some ideas!


elevmike - yes it should work.

I have a small data collection system that is made up of a ML1000, wireless access point, wireless serial server, KEPServer for DDE access to Excel. I can also program remotely (this plc only collects data and does not control any outputs).

The system works well with the unit inside a metal enclosure I get a signal to the access point that is 180 ft away. The ML1000 is not great for data collection, but I had a spare on my desk. The ML1200 or higher would be much better because the ML1000 has a limited data table, no indirect addressing, no floating point, no real time clock.

Here are some links to the hardware:

http://www.pcmall.com/pcmall/shop/detail~dpno~479559.asp

http://www.pcmall.com/pcmall/shop/detail~dpno~348471.asp

Do your PLC's already have ehternet modules? If not, then it would seem that it would be quite pricey to procure and install 100 of them, not to mention the 100 wireless ethernet modules you will need to buy.

cool stuff..thanks for the links..
I was browsing BB-elec's website and noticed this lil guy...looks like its made by DIGI but the cost doesnt look too bad
http://www.bb-elec.com/product.asp?sku=DC-WSP-01-S&TrailType=Sub&Trail=26
Hydro Power Guy:
No I dont have net-eni modules on them..and the price of them is quite high...I think that above listed item will work I will just need a cable from an EZPanel or something..I think they are like 15 bux...

elevmike said:

Hijack Question: We have hardwired E-net. However I'd like to provide a wireless connection for a few laptops. Can I use that device, plugged into our network switch to provide a wireless connection for the wireless laptops?

Click to expand...

Our office network is being migrated to wireless ethernet. Right now we have about half on wireless and half on CAT-5. No real problems, but we did have one PC with a USB-1 port and the USB-2 radio didn't come up right half the time. We have had good luck with the US Robotics wireless USB adapters - better than the PCMIA card units.