Jason A Jensen
Member
I wanted to ruffle everyone up with this one. What is your preferred PLC/HMI combo?
I would have to say mine is Compact/Control Logix and Wonderware IAS 3+
I think this for the following reasons:
1) I think the RSLogix 5000 programmer software, while cryptic to modern programming techniques, is the most user friendly, with the best code reuse/modern programming techniques available. Addon instructions are a step in the right direction. Even if they are very limited at the current time as they CANNOT be edited online.
I have used Yokagowa CS3000, Siemens S5, S7-200/300/400, PCS7, Moore/Siemens APACS+ (would be my favorite if it wasn't so cost prohibitive and at end of life), PLC5, SLCs, Micrologix.
Siemens would rank better if its communication protocol actually supported named conventions. As of right now, all communications/tags in the Siemens platform PLC may show names in the programmer but are compiled down to byte/bit addressing. This is particularly perplexing on the datablocks as they are byte/bit offset addressing. I think this makes the platform problematic. For example, you can go into a Siemens PLC and add a tag to a FB. Not only will you loose all data in the DB associated, but the HMI will now need to be re-downloaded to update its offset references. Otherwise the HMI will, potentially, be addressing the incorrect memory address. Pressing buttons on the screen can then have some interesting but unsafe results. This problem also has interesting implications on their safety PLCs.
Wonderware IAS is my favorite platform since its object oriented approach can save a lot of time if well understood. This design also marries very well with the AOI functions of the RSLogix 5000 series programming. My only complaint here was the reintroduction of DCOM into the IAS platform system. DCOM is one of Microsofts worst ideas, which they are now trying to kill, and since IAS is based on .NET technologies there are many other and better technologies to use that replace DCOM.
I will say that IAS is not intuitive to most maintenance personnel, and even system integrators I have met have problems maintaining the IAS galaxy.
For a little background about me, I started my career as an application and web developer. I later moved into controls for financial benefits. So I understand the new and the old ways but am partial to the newer programming techniques. In .NET I can solve a lot of problems more efficiently with classes and inheritance that are just not possible with linear programming techniques. Not to mention the loss of the power of recursive functions
Can wait to hear other peoples opinions on the matter.
I would have to say mine is Compact/Control Logix and Wonderware IAS 3+
I think this for the following reasons:
1) I think the RSLogix 5000 programmer software, while cryptic to modern programming techniques, is the most user friendly, with the best code reuse/modern programming techniques available. Addon instructions are a step in the right direction. Even if they are very limited at the current time as they CANNOT be edited online.
I have used Yokagowa CS3000, Siemens S5, S7-200/300/400, PCS7, Moore/Siemens APACS+ (would be my favorite if it wasn't so cost prohibitive and at end of life), PLC5, SLCs, Micrologix.
Siemens would rank better if its communication protocol actually supported named conventions. As of right now, all communications/tags in the Siemens platform PLC may show names in the programmer but are compiled down to byte/bit addressing. This is particularly perplexing on the datablocks as they are byte/bit offset addressing. I think this makes the platform problematic. For example, you can go into a Siemens PLC and add a tag to a FB. Not only will you loose all data in the DB associated, but the HMI will now need to be re-downloaded to update its offset references. Otherwise the HMI will, potentially, be addressing the incorrect memory address. Pressing buttons on the screen can then have some interesting but unsafe results. This problem also has interesting implications on their safety PLCs.
Wonderware IAS is my favorite platform since its object oriented approach can save a lot of time if well understood. This design also marries very well with the AOI functions of the RSLogix 5000 series programming. My only complaint here was the reintroduction of DCOM into the IAS platform system. DCOM is one of Microsofts worst ideas, which they are now trying to kill, and since IAS is based on .NET technologies there are many other and better technologies to use that replace DCOM.
I will say that IAS is not intuitive to most maintenance personnel, and even system integrators I have met have problems maintaining the IAS galaxy.
For a little background about me, I started my career as an application and web developer. I later moved into controls for financial benefits. So I understand the new and the old ways but am partial to the newer programming techniques. In .NET I can solve a lot of problems more efficiently with classes and inheritance that are just not possible with linear programming techniques. Not to mention the loss of the power of recursive functions
Can wait to hear other peoples opinions on the matter.
