DL06 Data Logging

DL06

Member
Join Date
Feb 2006
Location
Canada
Posts
87
Hello all,

First off, I would like to thank all of you who helped me get up and running with some math functions in my project using the DL06. I am happy to say that things are now working well.

Not to go into too much detail, but we will be installing DL06 PLCs in various locations of the plant to gather data and control andon lights / etc. The plant covers approximately 800' x 200'.

Now for the next step. I plan on adding an ethernet module to each of the PLCs to get them talking. I think that this would be the best way to connect everything up, but please correct me if I am wrong. Once that is set up I want to establish some data logging capabilities. I don't have all of the details worked out, but I will list off some of the capabilities that would be desirable.

-Export key metrics from each machine to an excel spreadsheet or database on regular intervals (say...every hour). Ideally, the columns would be machine, observation time, metric 1, metric 2, metric 3, etc.

-Export key metrics at the end of each shift (based on real time clock or pushing a physical button on the control panel). This would include things stored in the PLC such as the total time, run time, uptime, parts processed, etc.

-Send an e-mail to appropriate managers if ladder logic rungs are activated. For example, if machine 1 is down for more than 60 minutes, send out a message. Or if production on machine 2 is less than 75% of the moving target value.

-In the past, I have seen HMIs that constantly publish and update information to a website that is accessible by all (I think it was Red Lion Controls, but I'm sure that others offer this functionality). This would be ideal, as anyone could connect at any time and see what is going on in the entire plant at a glance (even from home...or the golf course).

This is not a cutting edge application and I am hoping that we can do this relatively inexpensively. I have looked around on the Automation Direct website and see that they have software like DataWorx, DataLynx, DataNet, Lookout Direct. I am not sure which one is right for this application and to be honest, it seems like something simpler could do the job. I don't want to pay for a bunch of bells and whistles that we aren't going to use. Ideally, the solution will not require an extensive amount of programming ability. We do have someone inthe company that could do this, but I don't want to make this more involved than necessary.

I'm sure that many of you have traveled down this path before, probably with much more difficult applications. If you can offer me some advice on how we can best do this, I would greatly appreciate it.
 
Look at the C-more with Automationdirect.
If you need an HMI, this one sells for decent $$$ & has loads of features. You can even log DATA & communicate over ethernet.

One word of caution, you will need to isolate your network from the regular network if you're going to have much data passing over it.
 
Thanks for your reply.

Please tell me, is there a way to do it without an HMI? Would the HMI route be the least expensive way to go about it? How would this system function?

Not to say that I am opposed to putting in one HMI for the whole PLC network if it is a suitable way to get all of the info into a spreadsheet or onto a web page. I just want to make it clear that we don't exactly need any HMIs in the system. I am handling data display at each workstation using the LCD display on the PLC along with some logic that I use to scroll the screen automatically to give me enough lines to display the required information.

Edit: I just checked out some of the info on the C More panels and they look pretty nice. Can someone confirm that my system will function as intended if I get a ethernet card for each DL06 in the network, the C More software, and one C More panel?
 
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The HMIs are very nice if you have it in your budget.
How many 06's are you putting in?
If you got a Cmore panel, the Cmore software, and ethernet cards for the DL06's, you can communicate to them (up to a certian point, I believe the C-more can realistically connect around 15 PLCs).
 
I have to say that the C more line does look really nice and it looks like the software is exactly what I need. I saw the page where they show that it can send e-mails, act as a web server, or FTP. Exactly what I need.

So it looks like I could pick up a 6" color panel for $845, software for $129, cables etc. for $50 or so, and be up and running for about a grand.

I would say that we would have a maximum of about 12 DL06 units in the plant. I should be able to collect data from all of these and send it to a web page with one panel, correct?

Have you worked with these units? What is your personal experience? Will this be straightforward to set up?
 
I've just finished my first C-More project. I'd like a few changes - actual time of day on the trends, the ability to cut and paste screens or items from other projects, better tag importing, and so on.

However, overall I had great success and I will definitely be using them again. The software is intuitive, downloading a snap, and set-up straightforward.
 
The main thing to think about here is this:

"How much data do I need to collect from each PLC and howfast do I really need to collect it?"

Remember Communications is like a knothole. You can only shove so much into it at one time. Any more than what it can handle and you will just have a mess.

The thing to do is decide how many registers that you want from each PLC. Next, decide how often you can really livewith getting the data. Asa fast as I can get it isn't realistic. If you really need it that fast, then you need data collection at every PLC.

Do some simple math. 12 registers from 12 PLCs every 1/2 second (12 registers * 16 bits * 12 PLCs / 1/2 second) = 4,608 bits per second. Ok, so we also know there is overhead in any communications packet so we should account for it as well. 4,608 bps * 120% (20% overhead) = 5,529 bps max. We are fairly sure this number is too large, but it is a safe number to go with.

So 5.5k bps is what we have. Ethernet can handle that fairly easily if we have a "clean" network (no other traffic on it). So now we know that this should work.

This is just a simple example of a quick "sanity" check to see if you are in the ballpark or not with your wants and needs. It is not exact, nor will it work for every installation. It will however tell you whether or not you are asking too much of the equipment.
 
Thanks for the feedback Tom and icky812. It is encouraging to know that the project should be feasible and managable to a non-expert.

I've done some HMI programming, but not on the Automation Direct product line and never with communications with more than one PLC. I'm excited to take on this project.

Regarding your math, thanks for the estimate. I guess the good news is that if that is feasible my project should be a snap. I would be happy updating the info every minute or 5, or 10. And I don't know if each machine will be sending as many as 12 registers on every interval. So I may be using even less bandwidth than your estimate.

Basically, the intent of the project is to make sure the various departments and machines are working to their scheduled capacity (and/or takt time). Our plant manager doesn't want to find out that we did terrible the week after it happened. At that point it is too late to correct.

We are trying to improve our 'visual factory' initiatives to make the status of the operations obvious to an outside observer and 'real time/proactive/etc' instead of 'stale/reactive'. Each machine will have andon lights to show status based on the PLC calculations and more detailed plant-wide information will be available on a web page hosted by the C-more panel networked with all of the PLCs.

The prices of the Automation Direct stuff really make this sort of thing feasible and I won't have trouble passing the budget for this project. Hence, I will most likely be back to draw on your collective pool of knowledge once again.

Cheers.
 
Just to confirm a few things...

-The PLC network can co-exist with our company network, correct? We will just need new ethernet drops at each of the machines going back to the switch/hub/etc of our servers?

-The ethernet cards are a must for this application, right? Before purchasing the network cards, I want to confirm that I cannot use port 1 on the PLCs and pull out the network connection cable if I want to program the PLC right at the machine.
 
A. For small amounts of data, it can co-exist on the company network. Whatever you do, don't flood the network. People will not be happy.

B. Ethernet will be nessecary using this route. As a bonus, you will be able to program over ethernet from your desktop anywhere in the plant.
 
A. For small amounts of data, it can co-exist on the company network. Whatever you do, don't flood the network. People will not be happy.
One very nice thing they added to C-more that was not in EZ Touch...a poll rate for the ethernet drivers.
If you don't need quick updates on your screens, this can decrease the amount of traffic on your network significantly.
 
You could use Tractrola to do your logging. It would be $200 plus $40 for each extra PLC connection and log (it looks like you would need two logs). You could ask them about the auto email. Anyone could connect anytime to see what's going on.
www.tractrola.com
 

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