Build a graphic out of a S7-300 PLC's DB

Hello everybody!

I am now testing a system that provides me an analogue input (a force measuring load cell). For better understanding the phenomenon I need too look at a graphic that displays the load as a function of time. As I am most interested in the shape of the graphic and not the values, i am saving the value of the analog input every plc cycle in a DB. In the end I have a DB with 1000 real measurments DBx.dbd0 - dbx.dbd4000.

Now comes my question. Do you have any idea of representing this measurements on a graphic? I tried with copy-paste from a VAT (online with PLC) in an Excel file but you can copy only a small amount of data at a time (20-30 measurments) and it takes a lot of time to build a graphic, and if I want to look at 30 graphics imagine that I need 3 days only for building them.

Do you know any free Scada system that can help me with that? I have an S7 315 PN-DP so i have available ProfibusDP, MPI and Ethernet interfaces.
Or maybe a solution to copy all the DB's data in an excel column at a time?


Thank you in advance,

Vlad Colesnic

I know of two ways of doing this...

The easiest way would be to setup a Generic/ Text printer in windows XP, Open the DB online and print the DB. What this printer does is print the output to a text file.

The open the text file in excel to import into excel format.


The other would be through Citect Scada, you can install the demo version. which will run for a short time without a license. You can download it from www.citect.com

Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately when I go online with a VAT, I only see the online status of a limited number of values (28 exactly in my case) although I have a 1000 elements VAT. This happens for all the VATs and I do not know which is the determining factor (I guess this is how simatic was designed, not to load too much the interface with the PLC).

The same thing happens also when I print the VAT. On the printed version, I only see the 28 elements which where displayed in the moment I pushed the Print button.

You should open the DB in the ladder editor and then go ONLINE. Then click the print option to print to a text file. This will print the DB with the current values.

I guess you don't have an HMI? In WinCC Flexible I can read in a DB and display it in a buffer bit trend. This makes a line graph of the data.

Is this something you need to do once or will this be a part of the machine?

It is just once. I only use it for commisioning. I tried Rohan Tandon's solution with printing to file and works perfect.

But I am sure that when I will have a little spare time I will try to build a tool like this (some kind of osciloscope ). It is priceless for the aplications with analog inputs and not only.


Thank you guys for your help!

Safe the DB with all the values. Then use the DB to Excel tool that is available on the support site to convert DB's to XLS.


Nick

Hei, this is interesting. Where can I find this tool? Which support site? Do you have a link?

Hello Vlad;

The Siemens Support Website gives you access to Product Support(manuals, FAQs, downloads and updates for all currently supported entries in the A&D division) and Applications developped by Siemens engineers (sometimes free, sometimes available for a fee), such as this one:
http://support.automation.siemens.com/WW/view/en/22538970

Enjoy.
Daniel Chartier

Try This Link..http://www.7t.dk/igss/default.asp?showid=381 They offer a FREE 50 pt SCADA.