Exporting Data From PV+

I am new to the data logging process. I was recently asked to help eliminate some of the Personal Computers on our plant floor. The only reason they are there is to record measurements from processed parts. Currently the quality auditor manually enters the data to an Excel spreadsheet. The machine that produces the parts for measurement has a SLC 5/05 processor and a PV+1000CE. Is there a way for the operator to enter data on the screen and have it recorded on the same Excel spreadsheet we are currently using. Again this is all new to me. I don't even know where to begin. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

here are a couple of basic questions to move the thread along ...

(1) where does the Quality Auditor get the information that he’s entering into the spreadsheet? ... specifically, is that data already present in the SLC processor? ...

(2) see if you can find RSLinx running on a computer which is networked with your SLC processor ... then tell us EXACTLY what it says in the title bar of the RSLinx window ...



that information will help us answer your questions ...

and just a "big picture" idea ... the PanelView is pretty much just a "stupid" device ... the SLC-5/05 is the "brains" of the operation ... so - if the required data happens to be stored in the SLC, then all sorts of magic becomes possible ... and if you have something OTHER THAN RSLinx LITE, then the data collection might (repeat: might) be done at a very reasonable cost ...

Ron, he has a PanelView+CE which is the open OS version of the Panelview Plus. So, there may be more options for getting the data into a spreadsheet.I see where you are leading with the potential to automate the data entry part of it though, and retrieve it centrally using RSLinx without any need for the involvement of the Panelview.

Answers

The quality auditor is getting the measurments from a micrometer and they are not stored in the SLC. I can setup a screen that allows them to be entered and stored into the SLC. I do not believe that any of the PC's on the network have anything other than RSLinx Lite. What would you prefer that they have?

There are 10 measurements that will need to be recorded.

looks like my distinguished colleague OkiePC has come up with some ideas that you’ll want to consider ...



the idea that I was exploring was along different lines ...



so to answer your question: no, basically if the data isn’t already IN the SLC, then there probably isn’t going to be any reason to put it there ... my train of thought was to basically eliminate the need for the Quality Auditor to even key in the data ... in other words, to just have the data automatically copied from the SLC data tables into a spreadsheet on the network ...



let’s see what OkiePC and the other guys can come up with ...

You could check on the compatibility of something like this:


http://www.softmaker.com/english/ofc_en.htm

And also log into the AB knowledgebase and search in the EOI > PanelView Plus CE category for networking.

There are a bunch of papers with details about how to execute third party applications from within your RSViewME app, how to open shared drives that may be located on a PC that is part of the domain, and more.

I would think you could add a button to start your CE version of excel, and keep all of the files on a shared drive on a central PC, then have another workbook with links to the individual files for each machine.

If you want these systems to run independent of the network health, then you might just use local (on each PV+CE) files and have a network PC obtain copies of those files at specific intervals.

I don't have any 1st hand experience with PV+CE but hopefully others here can help further.

Paul