Interfacing AB PLC

Hello, nice forum you have here quite a large wealth of knowledge you guys built over the years. I have few questions that I would like to ask about interfacing several PLCs to one PC for monitoring and small data acquisition. Here are the current plcs.
· 14 Micrologix 1500 controlling individual equipment.
I’m using channel 0 for HMI connection, port 1 is unused

· 8 Micrologix 1100 Controlling Individual Equipment
I’m using the mini port for HMI connection, Ethernet port is unused

· 2 Compactlogix L35E controlling individual equipment
On Ethernet network to several drives PF 70

· 4 SLC 5/05 controlling Individual Equipment
I’m using channel 0 for HMI connection Ethernet port is unused.

What my boss is looking to do is to interface all PLC to one network preferably Ethernet to monitor all PLC with Factory talk SE, also he asked to keep in mind any expansions there may be in the future.
I have never done a large (at least to me) project of this sort before and I’m looking for some help from the pros.
I’m open to all options here, but all components and software must be AB. Please let me know if I’m missing any information I’ll be sure to post them ASAP.
Thank You.

Tech3212 said:

Hello, nice forum you have here quite a large wealth of knowledge you guys built over the years. I have few questions that I would like to ask about interfacing several PLCs to one PC for monitoring and small data acquisition. Here are the current plcs.
· 14 Micrologix 1500 controlling individual equipment.
I’m using channel 0 for HMI connection, port 1 is unused

· 8 Micrologix 1100 Controlling Individual Equipment
I’m using the mini port for HMI connection, Ethernet port is unused

· 2 Compactlogix L35E controlling individual equipment
On Ethernet network to several drives PF 70

· 4 SLC 5/05 controlling Individual Equipment
I’m using channel 0 for HMI connection Ethernet port is unused.

What my boss is looking to do is to interface all PLC to one network preferably Ethernet to monitor all PLC with Factory talk SE, also he asked to keep in mind any expansions there may be in the future.
I have never done a large (at least to me) project of this sort before and I’m looking for some help from the pros.
I’m open to all options here, but all components and software must be AB. Please let me know if I’m missing any information I’ll be sure to post them ASAP.
Thank You.

Click to expand...

In my facility we are almost exclusively AB as well, however we have not yet used FTView SE, mostly just ME. All of our department networks are set-up as isolated VLAN's with one E-Net gateway to the Plant Ethernet network for external production data/OEE collection.

Are you planning on building your own data collection system on the central PLC running SE, using the data-logging in SE to a SQL database? Depending on the amount of data, and the frequency of the capture, and who needs access to the data, it may be easier to just set-up a small-rack CLX PLC system for the data collection. Have a couple of 1756-ENBT's in there just for produced/consumed tags and for messaging. This way you have all your data in one processor, in cleanly arranged structures with clear tag-names. Makes it easier to build the FactoryTalk application.

But, then again, I'm biased. I prefer working with PLC's over SQL or other databases. Just my $.02

Cheers,
Dustin

This is quite some task due to the variety and platform ages of the controllers.
I would first start by laying out your proposed EtherNet/IP network topology.
Do the ML1500 have the 1761-NET-ENI options installed? If not, be ready to shell out some $$$$$.
You will also have to add 1761-NET-ENI modules to your CompactLogix controllers in order to segregate the supervision EtherNet/IP communications from the I/O (VFDs) ones.
Build your subnet separate from the plant LAN using your own switching.
About FTV SE: it was developed to be deployed onto Logix systems platforms; RSLinx Enterprise, the dedicated FTV data server cannot directly connect to legacy controllers such as MicroLogix and SLC. You will have to use another OPC data server (licensed copy of RSLinx Classic for example) in order to supervise the legacy CPUs.
The suggestion of having a supervisory subnet networked Logix class controller which would handle the explicit data transfer to/from the MLs and SLCs is something to consider and it will eliminate the need of another OPC data server.

RSLinx Enterprise, the dedicated FTV data server cannot directly connect to legacy controllers such as MicroLogix and SLC. You will have to use another OPC data server (licensed copy of RSLinx Classic for example) in order to supervise the legacy CPUs.

Unless I am missing something, I have a number of SLC and ML pointed to shortcuts in SE and ME.

Put the controllers using ethernet for I/O (the compactlogix with e-net/ip drives) behind a managed switch port at the very least. Make sure you use IGMP snooping on the network so that that port will not forward every packet intended for drives to the whole network. A separate network for I/O as previously suggested is ideal, but not always necessary if you set things up correctly.

The ML1500 with serial ports are going to require a bridge device to get to ethernet. The A/B 1761-NET-ENI will meet your requirements (one per ML1500), as long as you don't try to push too much data through the serial ports.

All the devices will need to be on the same subnet in your network in order for them to all talk to each other. You'll need to document all the IP settings for the two existing EthernetIP networks controlling the VFDs. If there are conflicts, it may be necessary to change some of the addresses.

Thanks guys, this is a ton of useful information.
@bmacattact

Are you planning on building your own data collection system on the central PLC running SE, using the data-logging in SE to a SQL database?

Click to expand...

To be honest I'm not that far advanced and would have to check it to it.

it may be easier to just set-up a small-rack CLX PLC system for the data collection. Have a couple of 1756-ENBT's in there just for produced/consumed tags and for messaging. This way you have all your data in one processor, in cleanly arranged structures with clear tag-names. Makes it easier to build the FactoryTalk application.

Click to expand...

This could be the best option here.

@ dmargieneau

Do the ML1500 have the 1761-NET-ENI options installed?

Click to expand...

No we would have to purchase.

You will also have to add 1761-NET-ENI modules to your CompactLogix controllers in order to segregate the supervision EtherNet/IP communications from the I/O (VFDs) ones

Click to expand...

Can you give me some more info here about this segregation, I’m not sure I quite understand.

So to get this straight, I could use an OPC data server such as RSlinx Classic to communicate between the SE and legacy PLC slc’s and ml’s controllers. Or I could set up a rack with a CLX processor with a Ethernet bridge in the rack an communicate with the SLC’s and ML’s controllers. That way SE will communicate with the CLX processor.
The second option seems a pretty good solution because I could have a neat documentation of all the Tags.

Thanks, and I’m open for suggestions.

Tech3212 said:

Can you give me some more info here about this segregation, I’m not sure I quite understand.

Click to expand...

Normal HMI traffic typically polls for a few dozen tags at a time sometimes many more, perhaps 0.5 to 1 time persecond.

I/O traffic, on the other hand, will flood the ethernet with several hundred little packets of data every second.

All devices on the network can receive this EthernetIP traffic, and it can overwhelm office networks, PCs, and is terrible for your overall bandwidth.

Get the Ethernet/IP capacity tool:

http://www.rockwellautomation.com/solutions/integratedarchitecture/resources3.html#enetpredict

Tech3212 said:

So to get this straight, I could use an OPC data server such as RSlinx Classic to communicate between the SE and legacy PLC slc’s and ml’s controllers. Or I could set up a rack with a CLX processor with a Ethernet bridge in the rack an communicate with the SLC’s and ML’s controllers. That way SE will communicate with the CLX processor.
The second option seems a pretty good solution because I could have a neat documentation of all the Tags.

Thanks, and I’m open for suggestions.

Click to expand...

You technically would not have to have a processor to set up a bridge using a 1756 chassis, but you will want one to perhaps buffer/filter/scale and then forward data to the next level.

RSLinx Classic Gateway could be installed on the scada PC and set up with an OPC topic to be used by the FTViewSE app and serve as a remote link for other PCs running RSLinx Lite.

This is more efficient than multiple instances of RSLinx on the network beating on the same SLCs. Using Remote Devices via RSLinx Gateway, other RSLinx Lite installations on that subnet can bridge through the data server on the SE machine for access to the PLCs and other devices. Letting one instance of RSLinx handle all comms (especially to SLCs or serial servers) takes fewer connections and avoids redundant reading of data.

DDE/OPC also opens up interoperability with many other Windows and database applications, but a licensed version of RSLinx Classic is required.