Data Analysis And Reporting

Hi,

I have a new project coming up soon and I would like to capture some data and make a report.

I will be using a Compact Logix L35E as the PLC.

Basically we run a fermentation of cider. We have a recipe for each tank, which consists of approx 80 parameters. I would like to capture all of these recipe parameters, and also the actual value, so if the recipe calls for 20Kgs of yeast but actually 20.2Kgs went in, I get both bits of data.

We also monitor things like temperature and density so I would like to trend these.

When we finish the fermentation I would like to take all the data we have collected and make a report for that individual fermentation so the necessary people can see what happened.

I have had a look at FactoryTalk Historian and it looks like it would do the job, but I was wondering if anyone had any advice or something better which I could use.

Thanks in advance

Mark

Within a Logix platform FTHistorian is the best...When logging data it is using RSLinx Enterprise and FTLD (FactoryTalk Live Data) which are both native to most of the Allen-Bradley/Rockwell Automation hardware/firmware/software products...
I believe the Historian SE comes with one FactoryTalk VantagePoint Server and One Named Client free licenses... FT VantagePoint is the "front end" of the FT Historian database.

Hi Mark,

XLReporter (Rockwell Encompass Partner product) can poll data from PLC through RSLinx and automatically reports in Excel. All set up is done in Excel and you don't need to learn VB or a new application.

Evaluation version is available from www.TheReportCompany.com/product_download.htm.

How to set it up with RSLinx http://www.thereportcompany.com/download/Tech_RSLinxClassic.pdf.

It can be used with FactoryTalk Historian SE http://www.thereportcompany.com/download/Tech_RSFTHistorian.pdf.

Check out Analytics as well http://www.thereportcompany.com/download/Tech_Analytic.pdf.

Thanks for the replies.

Jim I have looked into using XL reporter, but only briefly.

I will read through the help files and have a bit of a play.

Could you let me know by PM roughly how much a license would cost.

Thanks

Mark

Hi Mark,

XLReporter for real-time connection through RSLinx is USD 995.

"XLReporter Project Explorer", "Documentation" menu has "Getting Started" and "Getting Results." Those are the step-by-step guide on how to set up XLReporter.

Hope this helps.

I have used XLReporter on multiple projects with great results. The only down side is that you do not get historical data unless the data is captured in the PLC or you have another data source that contains historical data. It can't be beat for a low cost, robust system for on the fly reporting.

Hi,

Thank you for sharing your experiences with XLReporter.

Version 9 has a new feature to capture the data within XLReporter. Please check this out http://www.thereportcompany.com/download/Tech_Analytic.pdf.

Basically we run a fermentation of cider. We have a recipe for each tank, which consists of approx 80 parameters.

Click to expand...

80 Parameters! Better than my old Aunt's coconut cake! I volunteer to be a Taster....

Lancie1,

You will have to join the queue and its a very big queue, and yeah you guessed it I'm the one at the front.

But seriously the actual recipe is not that big, just a few apples and some yeast. The most part of the recipe are actually parameters when we want to do certain actions, but we still need to know when they happened, and when we wanted them to happen.

Mark

We are currently using IBA for our data acquistion, it also comes with a reporting function and an analysis tool.

Nic,

What is IBA, I just looked on the net and didn't really find anything.

I have decided I am thinking of going away from the Rockwell stuff because we have both Allen Bradley and Siemens on site and I would really like something that could do both.

Mark

Mark,

Sorry for the late response, Please see the attached link for IBA information;

http://www.iba-ag.org/index.php?id=3&L=2

Nick