Is it just me or does it also drive other Plant PLC guys crazy when a Equipment builders over build PLC programs for new equipment.
This new equipment I've been integrating into our MES system is fairly simple and could of been done well in one program with 8 routines max. The new "master" programmer the OEM has now used 10 programs and about 50 routines. Obviously he has a "template" program he uses for everything but it had too of taken longer for him to set his template up than it would of for him to write this simple program from scratch.
We have bought multiple machines from this vendor over the past years and none of the programs have ever been this over built. Their new programmer must of been showing off to his boss when he wrote this one.
Even their onsite programmer that drew the short straw and had to come in during thanksgiving with us for the install, was struggling to understand why his programmer did what he did. The on site guy called his programmer at one point about another issue and asked him why it was so complicated and the programmer said, "Why are they (me the guy integrating it into our MES system) even in the program? We already tested it, when it was here at the shop." He acted like he had no idea that his system was going to be replacing a system we already had. (Slipped his mind i guess)
The craziest part about this whole thing is that the "master programmer" and OEM supposedly "fully tested" the whole system in their shop before sending it to us. After about two hours of troubleshooting this over grown monster during install, i found two different bugs in his machine state and machine conditions logic that kept half of the conveyors in this "fully tested" system from running.
Sorry for the rant but please don't forget about the plant controls guys that have to maintain these master programs. It may be easier for you to use one template for all the programs you build, but damn its time consuming for us to troubleshoot when its spread out over 50 routines.
I understand your time is money, but my downtime is $100ish/minute when it stops during production and i have to figure out whats wrong with it.
This new equipment I've been integrating into our MES system is fairly simple and could of been done well in one program with 8 routines max. The new "master" programmer the OEM has now used 10 programs and about 50 routines. Obviously he has a "template" program he uses for everything but it had too of taken longer for him to set his template up than it would of for him to write this simple program from scratch.
We have bought multiple machines from this vendor over the past years and none of the programs have ever been this over built. Their new programmer must of been showing off to his boss when he wrote this one.
Even their onsite programmer that drew the short straw and had to come in during thanksgiving with us for the install, was struggling to understand why his programmer did what he did. The on site guy called his programmer at one point about another issue and asked him why it was so complicated and the programmer said, "Why are they (me the guy integrating it into our MES system) even in the program? We already tested it, when it was here at the shop." He acted like he had no idea that his system was going to be replacing a system we already had. (Slipped his mind i guess)
The craziest part about this whole thing is that the "master programmer" and OEM supposedly "fully tested" the whole system in their shop before sending it to us. After about two hours of troubleshooting this over grown monster during install, i found two different bugs in his machine state and machine conditions logic that kept half of the conveyors in this "fully tested" system from running.
Sorry for the rant but please don't forget about the plant controls guys that have to maintain these master programs. It may be easier for you to use one template for all the programs you build, but damn its time consuming for us to troubleshoot when its spread out over 50 routines.
I understand your time is money, but my downtime is $100ish/minute when it stops during production and i have to figure out whats wrong with it.