Need guidance for connecting PC to S7 PLC

Hi !

I am absolutely fresh in this field.

I want to control a Siemens S7 PLC through a PC instead of going through a HMI like OP27/37. So I want to emulate the messages/codes that are passed by OP27 to PLC using a PC (Win NT OS). How do I go about it?

Also what are the hardware and software requirements for doing this?

Please advise.

Barry,

Look into Siemens Protool Pro.

You might check out WinCC from Siemens, or Intouch from Wonderware, or some other SCADA package. Do a web search on SCADA, you should get plenty of hits



-Barry, Protool is for setting up HMI's. JRW doesn't want to go that route.

Protool is for programming the OP's,TP's amd MP's.
Protool Pro runs on and PC and can do control. Its like a mini
WinCC.
Do some research Dark Knight.

Barry71,

of you want to get going quickly, download the Citect SCADA system at www.citect.com . You can evaluate the system without spending any money on software.

You however do need the possibility to connect your PC to the S7 PLC by means of MPI (S7-300/400)or PPI (S7-200). This is the easiest to get you going, because you can do it with the standard programming cable connected to the programming port of the S7.

If you're convinced this is what you need, contact a local dealer. One warning: it could be you're becoming as pale as we whities are if you're told what the price for a complete system is. All SCADA systems I know of calculate the price based on the number of tags (datapoints) you're exchanging with the PLC, and none of the brands I know of are to be called cheap .

You could of course check out others like InTouch by WonderWare, WinCC by Siemens, LookOut by National Instruments and so on. Search this site and you'll find plenty of links.

Kind regards,

Protool Pro-

Link to Protool Pro PDF File

http://www.sea.siemens.com/autogen/docs/pcba/lit/6ZB5370-1BL02-0BA2.pdf

Barry,

Look through this. It will do exactly what you are looking for.

You should be able to convert your current OP27 program into
the PC version and run it.
It is tag based so you will have to buy a runtime license.

Jay