Hello everyone:
I need your opinion with this:
I have a production line that's controlled by 2 AllenBradley PLCs 5/20, and was installed like 12years ago.
There is also a SCADA implemented with CIMPLICITY that supervises this process, but very very soon will be changed to IFIX 5.0 (we are in the process of testing the new SCADA)
Many changes have been made to the line in these 12 years, and some of them are not included in the PLCs control logic, they are manualy activated, and they are not "seen" with the SCADA.
Now we want to automate this proceses. And for example in one case, we have to control a loop between 2 devices: a mill and an electromagnetic vibrator that feeds the mill.
I like the idea of including this process in the original PLC since we have some free analog I/O in it. But the other engineer who's working with me, and has been in this company for much longer (I've been here for only 4 months, and it's my first job! ( so I have to respect his opinion )) wants to use uPLCs (I call Crouzet Milleniums, Telemecanique Zelios, Siemens LOGOS, etc, uPLCs) in this local loops, because of wiring problems, etc... And then, connect them with the main PLCs, and SCADA Pcs, via ethernet.
My question is if it is possible to do this with Zelios or Crouzet Milleniums with IFIX SCADA, I mean, does IFIX provides drivers for this devices, or it simply doesn't need them? And how hard can it be to impement a network like this?
I'm sorry if my doubt seems a little dumb, but I've never even seen a PLC network, and this is my first aproach to SCADA. As I said earlier, this is my first job as an engineer!!!
Thanks, I am learning a lot in this forum. it's only that questions keep coming to my mind!
I need your opinion with this:
I have a production line that's controlled by 2 AllenBradley PLCs 5/20, and was installed like 12years ago.
There is also a SCADA implemented with CIMPLICITY that supervises this process, but very very soon will be changed to IFIX 5.0 (we are in the process of testing the new SCADA)
Many changes have been made to the line in these 12 years, and some of them are not included in the PLCs control logic, they are manualy activated, and they are not "seen" with the SCADA.
Now we want to automate this proceses. And for example in one case, we have to control a loop between 2 devices: a mill and an electromagnetic vibrator that feeds the mill.
I like the idea of including this process in the original PLC since we have some free analog I/O in it. But the other engineer who's working with me, and has been in this company for much longer (I've been here for only 4 months, and it's my first job! ( so I have to respect his opinion )) wants to use uPLCs (I call Crouzet Milleniums, Telemecanique Zelios, Siemens LOGOS, etc, uPLCs) in this local loops, because of wiring problems, etc... And then, connect them with the main PLCs, and SCADA Pcs, via ethernet.
My question is if it is possible to do this with Zelios or Crouzet Milleniums with IFIX SCADA, I mean, does IFIX provides drivers for this devices, or it simply doesn't need them? And how hard can it be to impement a network like this?
I'm sorry if my doubt seems a little dumb, but I've never even seen a PLC network, and this is my first aproach to SCADA. As I said earlier, this is my first job as an engineer!!!
Thanks, I am learning a lot in this forum. it's only that questions keep coming to my mind!
