Move to CLX?

I am currently trying to make a decision about whether or not to spec Controllogix for future installs. We mainly use Modicon for all other systems but I have about a dozen SLC 5/05's used for SCADA in our power substations with about ten GE 90-30's that I will be changing out in the future. We are leaning towards keeping the subs all consistent on hardware brand. I have been trying to self teach CLX from the demo version to get familiar but I am struggling with the tag instead of address scheme that CLX uses. It just hasn't made much sense to me yet. Would an Intellution SCADA system need a different I/O driver for CLX since there aren't any addresses? I don't like the idea of new installs with a platform that is on the way out but I also don't want to have to learn another software if it isn't going to have much benefit.

Thanks

Steve

Although I have some problems with AB / Rockwell, I have to say the CLX is one of the best and most versitile PLC's I've ever used.

Especially as things more more and more to unified communications networks, CLX is amazingly flexible.

As a stickler for documentation, I like the 'Tagname' based assignments, as it helps to force self-documentation of programs, and using an OPC interface, your PLC namespace is completely available to any HMI you might want, helping to reduce the need to creat a tag/symbol in the plc, and another in an HMI, and link them together in some way.

"Would an Intellution SCADA system need a different I/O driver for CLX since there aren't any addresses?"

I've never tried Intellution to a Control Logix but I have tried other devices with AB DF1 drivers designed for the SLC/PLC5/MicroLogix PLCs and they have worked. The key is to map the tags inside of the Control Logix project to "standard" AB PLC addresses (B3:x, N7:x, etc...). There is a utility inside of RS Logix 5000 to do this. This link explains how to do this. It is specifically speaking of connecting CLGX to older SLCs and PLC5s but it is the same concept.
http://domino.automation.rockwell.c...24A52D0C033E6B1485256AFB005834F7?OpenDocument

I think that the SLC-5/05 is Rockwell's best platform for substation automation today and for the near future. The 125VDC hardware is readily available, and it interfaces well with PowerMonitor 3000s, and is easy to communicate to from most HMI platforms. 3rd party comms modules for Modbus or DNP3.0 are well understood and readily available.

And the SLC is hardly a dead platform. They're still adding features to the SLC-5/05, and they'll be produced brand new for at least another 10 years.

The killer app for ControlLogix in power distribution (once the 125 VDC hardware comes out this spring) is the new timestamp input module. If you need to detect geographically separate events with millisecond accuracy, it's a great way to use a general-purpose controller for an application that used to be the domain of dedicated-purpose hardware or full blown DCS systems.

Why not Modicon

If you already are using Modicon why not look at them for new installations?

Their Concept and Unity programming packages are very powerful. Their Quantum and Premium hardware families are as competative as any other manufacurers. I don't know any other system that is as easy (in general) to communicate with.

I have no vested interest in Modicon, although I am very versed in it. My problem seems to be the view that if "it ain't AB then it ain't no good". We had a local plant with over a million $US installed base of one PLC. When a new plant manager came in he was amazed they could produce any product because there was no AB in the facility. His first management decision was to require all new projects and rebuilds to be Rockwell, he didn't care what family or programming language, only that it was Rockwell.

smiller...I can related to your initial bafflement at the ControlLogix name based tags. Aftr using SLC500 for 9 years, when I first tried to play about with CLX I too found it a little difficult to get my head around.

But the first time I had to use one on a real project it all fell into place very quickly. Once you start using UDT's (User Defined Datatypes) efficiently there is no looking back. It more or less compels you to start programming in a far more structured fashion,and makes it much easier to generate re-usable routines and HMI templates.

Try and get someone who has used CLX in depth to perhaps run through one of their applications, or email me if you care to.

Hi

I've done several upgrade projects where new CLX processors are hooked up to legacy SCADA systems, mainly Intellution FIX32.
No new drivers are needed. Just map the tags in CLX to SLC/PLC file numbers and FIX32 thinks its connected to an SLC500.

This is the way I do it:

Set up an array tag called say N50
Alias your CLX tags to N50[0], N50[1], etc
Map tag N50 to SLC/PLC5 file 5

SCADA reads N50:1, N50:2, etc.