FactoryTalk Metrics

Just need some info, I just started back at this company a couple months ago and their wanting me to implement this software suite into our lines for OEE and gathering other info. I'm fairly smart and learn most things fairly easy especially if shown how to do it,no one here know anything about this and the installers guy either quit or got fired, so I'm on my own. So should I push for the classes, get them to bring someone in or suffer thru it.

trsptfire, never used it, however it seems from the user manual that help is available!!

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sounds like they can leap tall buildings in a single bound!!
Are you stuck with this product?
How about trying Ignition form inductive automation or just building your own reports?

To use metrics you need info already going into a database from the processes you want to get OEE on.

There is a line version with a logix AOI but I have never used it.

In reply to the OP.

I've been looking after the data collection for a company for the last three years and use Factory Talk Metrics/Historian. 85 work cells all connected to a RSLogix5000 series PLC acting as a data concentrator. Data is collected from SLC5/05 and RSLogix5000 series PLC's.

I took the training on FT Transaction Manager but none on the FT Metrics or FT Historian. I had to fumble through it. And it wasn't a pleasant experience.

A couple of questions.

Do you have a support contract with Rockwell? If you do, use it and use it hard. They have a great support group for FT Metrics. They have helped me out more times than I can count.

Is the course you are looking at related to FT Metrics or is it for the FT Transaction Manager? If there is one for both, take them. But to begin you'll need the FT Transaction Manager course.

The FT Transaction Manager course will show you how to set up the initial database and get everything set up to start data collection. This is the first step and is well worth taking even if the DB is already set up. It will help you understand what you are dealing with.

You can do a lot of bi-directional data exchange between PLC's and the database using FT Transaction Manager once you understand how it works.

Just to note, bi-directional data exchange requires a RSSql tag license before you can use it. Rockwell at it's finest.

The FT Metrics program is easy to use once you understand it, but the user manuals are very convoluted. Anyone that knows the term BizBikes will agree. I've never seen a course offered by Rockwell on FT Metrics. But if you can find one, take it. It would save you a lot of grief.

I feel your pain. I had to take over this system from someone else as well. It took a lot of effort to learn the software and get the entire system standardized and working the way it does today.

If you have any specific questions on the use of FT Metrics or the UDT tag structure we use, feel free to ask. I will try to help you where I can.

Dave

Thanks Dave, I told my boss yesterday morning that I going to need the training or they need to get the installer to supply me some help. Hell still waiting on my laptop, been using an old 1.6ghz dell that is about 4 years old. I don't mind being called an Electrical Controls Engineer but really being the Electrical, Controls, Welding, and Robots engineer, BUT they can't expect me to know everything. They tell me I'm one of the best troubleshooters and programmers they know of that is why they wanted me back. Right now I'm cleaning up there plc programs and trying to help them out on there welding parameters, then they pop Metrics out and say by the way can you set this up too. gotta lol

Another option is to get with your local Rockwell rep and ask them about a "proof of concept " setup. I was told at RSTech Ed that Rockwell will come in and set up one work cell to prove the concept. They leave it in your plant for a few weeks, then you talk about purchasing the software. Also ask your local rep about lab files for transaction manager.

It is pretty hard to come by coherent RA documentation which could help you to navigate the windy data collection/reporting road...

First you will need a server class PC with lots of hard drive space, running the FactoryTalk Services Platform (and RSLinx Gateway if collecting data off legacy controllers-PLC/SLC) and networked within the same "logical" LAN subnet as the data collection points (controllers).
This is just your infrastructure and you should start by addressing this first before any attempts to build up yor system.
Then, when your platform has a solid foundation, you might want to deploy first the RA Historian SE; this is the dedicated Rockwell database server and it will create the data pool required by the reporting services (FT VantagePoint, FT Metrics, etc.).
You might be able to accomplish this by yourself (be ready for massive Advil consumption ), however, if there is any hint of urgency coming from upstairs, a call to Rockwell( and some serious $$$$$) could expedite this massive task.
Good luck...

Does anyone know of any other company, other than Rockwell, that offers FT Metrics and Transaction Manager Training?

ft METRICS

There is a course Factory Talk Metrics Pick and Choose Lab 1 Report Expert Explored from Rockwell. I have started using ft metrics from 1 month . I am having difficulty in FTTM . I am not able to enable transaction . What should I do . I can import fttm configuration from Database via FT Metrics Configuration Tool using FTMUDT. But while importing same fttm configuration to ft metrics I get error as Demo Configuration so can not do import.

Are you trying to create a custom transaction? It sounds like you are missing the required RSSLQ tag license to use custom FTTM transactions.