Cognex 3400 to SLC 5/05

I am about to start working on developing a vision system for reading in a serial number on a motor. It is already specified for a slc 5/05 processor and cognex insight 3400. Also there will be an AB Panelview to manually enter the correct serial number if there is an error. This is my first time using a vision system at all. My question is will I be able to talk direct from SLC 5/05 to the 3400 directly over ethernet or will I have to use an OPC server. Also, is a PC going to be required? And Insight Explorer does it have to run on a PC or is the jobs stored in the camera? Please provide some assistance. If more info is needed please ask. Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

I don't know my way around the AB systems, but I have used a Cognex camera with a Siemens PLC. You should be able to directly communicate with the camera over Ethernet if the SLC 5/05 supports this, OPC should not be necessary.

Our application runs Insight Explorer on a PC so that we can continuously make minor changes to the camera program, but my understanding is that the program is actually stored in the camera, so that once your program is fully sorted, you shouldn't need the PC - but as I say, I haven't tried this!

so far we didn't use Cognex and SLC together so can't help much there but beware of reading text or numbers with Cognex. we have job with bunch of insight 5400 series cameras and OCR simply doesn't work (everything else is ok) - even in case one tells it what to expect. after about year of trouble and trying everything imaginable like changing camera firmware, Cognex making series of changes etc. their specialists are comming this week to see if they and the latest version can do anything better.

Check out cognex's website. There is a sample file: http://www.cognexsensors.com/support/DownloadsManager.php?action=MainPage&ProdLine=In-Sight&RFlag=1&skin=Cognex#

And there are many entries in their knowledgebase regarding communications to AB plcs. Seehttp://www.cognexsensors.com/support/knowledgebase.php?action=SolutionsSummaryExpanded&skin=Cognex&FID=