Suggestions for a mid cost HMI

Not Rsview32, aka Factory Talk, Not iFix, Not Blunderware
not Automation Direct.

So what does that leave us.

Customer had a server running Rsview32. After a few years
the servers hard drive trashed the Platters, and nothing
was recoverable. He had long since lost the serial numbers
Rockwell tells him he must buy a new package.
At 10,000 he says thats to much, I agree. These HMI packages
are way out in left field in cost anymore.
Automation Direct is a possible solution, but need either
VBA scripting capability or email alarms ability.

Any Ideas

RED LION or Proface re both multipurpose HMI's
Red lion is American and the software is freely downloadable.

Hello,

PeakHMI might work for you.

Rockwell tells him he must buy a new package.

Click to expand...

That is very unlikely. Rockwell Automation can look up ANY serial number registered to any user, ever. You never need to "buy a new copy" if you have already purchased it in the past.

I don't think you got the whole story.

It's possible that the end user never had a serial number (like if the OEM never transferred it to them, or they used a pirate copy) or that they intentionally retired their serial numbers. But it is not possible that their software was registered them and somehow "expired" or that support cannot be renewed.

My favorite PC-based HMI software is Inductive Automation's Ignition software. The scripting language is Python, not VB, but the power and sophistication of the SQL databases that underly the software is fantastic. It used to take me 2 days per server to properly install and patch FactoryTalk View SE; I can install Linux and Ignition in an hour.

I've been using C# for a number of years. I use the .NET components from Automated Solutions or Ingear to communicate to the PLCs. With .NET you pretty much have all the common database stuff at your disposal. I just finished a system that has a few windows forms apps that are HMIs using Hope industrial display touchscreens with mini tower PCs. It has an app that transacts data from the PLCs to an Oracle database. It also has a server app with a web service that various UI apps(ASP.NET, Forms, WPF) can get production data from. The difference in cost compared to Rockwell is unbelievable.

Ignition by Inductive Automation gets my vote. Far more capable and less expensive then WW or RSView

Hey Guys
It might be time to book mark this and ask the OP to search this site.
We are now duplicating a post that was asked about 3 weeks ago
I Know because I suggested Ignition first on that one.
I am getting suspicious now - two similar questions - starting to smell like school questions but we have answered both posts

Ken Roach said:

That is very unlikely. Rockwell Automation can look up ANY serial number registered to any user, ever. You never need to "buy a new copy" if you have already purchased it in the past.

I don't think you got the whole story.

Click to expand...

I guess that the missing story is that the endcustomer doesnt have a support contract. Maybe the original software was delivered by an OEM that no longer exist, and the customer didnt get a support contract back then. That is why the customer is "unknown" to RA.

As to the original topic, how many tags ?
How many connections ?
What functionality ?

So the story sounds like the customer has lost their serial information, has no documentation and thus when they call Rockwell, Rockwell can't help them because they have no starting point for reference.

Assume the name the software was registered too has changed, maybe the company name too??

Anyway, if in fact the customer's only solution is to buy new licensing, well that isn't a fault of Rockwell if in-fact the customer has lost all reference material to the ownership of the software. Certainly no fault of Rockwell, customer's loss they should eat it. Classic that they aren't to blame....

Anyway, I find it hard to believe that engineering a new HMI software package would be cheaper then just purchasing new licenses from Rockwell if in-fact that was their only option.

But who knows, maybe they never made backups of the RSview32 application either and are completely in a hole.

ghettofreeryder said:

Ignition by Inductive Automation gets my vote. Far more capable and less expensive then WW or RSView

Click to expand...

I have to agree. The more I see of it the more I am convinced that it is by far the best hmi package available.

I have 3 installations running, and havent had a lick of trouble.

Also, if you want to save some money you can buy the vision module that only allows 5 simultaneous clients.

Ken Roach said:

That is very unlikely. Rockwell Automation can look up ANY serial number registered to any user, ever. You never need to "buy a new copy" if you have already purchased it in the past.

I don't think you got the whole story.

Click to expand...

Actually Ken I ran into this 4 years ago where I am at now. I had a laptop that belonged to my predecessor. On it was RSLogix 500. The software had not been used in my estimate of 5 years. I based this estimate on the version number of the software and the last RSS program I could find on the company server. I also got with accounting and found that the company had never purchased a Tech Support Contract and that the software was purchased in 2000. I contacted Rockwell and explained I wanted to upgrade the software and put my name as the user. Rockwell told me they had no record of the purchase and could I find the original "box". I told them I could not so I ended up purchasing new software.

Now this could be the exception to the rule, but it can happen. It may be due to length of time without activity with Rockwell.

If you are unable to resolve your dilema with AB, we offer another HMI product. Here is a link to review the software information:

http://www.eternity-sales.com/KEP/infilink.htm

You can download the software and try it for free.

The download includes a 1 hour run license and full development capabilities.

If you have any questions, feel free to email through the link below.