Universal PLC Monitor

Nitay

Member
Join Date
Dec 2011
Location
Israel
Posts
14
Hi guys,

I'm in a position at the moment in which I have many communication stacks programmed for many PLCs (Siemens, Rockwell, GE, Schneider, Omron) and I'm thinking about developing a proper monitor software for monitoring the PLCs registers.

I originate from PC programming, and while I do have some experience in programming and maintaining PLCs, I don't have much. From what I've gathered though, it seems that monitoring PLC values (without getting into an HMI project) is always an issue, and is always different with every PLC brand.

So I thought of first creating an API for reading registers in Python, C or C#, and to add in a Monitor GUI application that will have some graphing, importing, and exporting involved, for those of us not into scripting.


Is this something that you, as a PLC maintainer, would like to have?
And how much do you think should something like this cost?

Thanks
Nitay
 
I think you're re-inventing the wheel.

Controller and network-independent PLC data transactions have been the domain of OPC for about 15 years.

And "visualization and trending" are the market of HMI and SCADA products, of which there are many hundreds on the market.

If you like Python, and you're into platform independence, Inductive Automation's Ignition product is written in Java, talks to a multitude of PLCs using OPC and OPC-UA, and uses Python as its scripting language. It's SQL-based at its core, giving you deep data storage and display capabilities.

If you're saying you just want to create a "quick and dirty PLC register viewer", you're up against Kepware and Excel. There's not anything much quicker or dirtier.
 
I agree with Ken, why start from scratch?

Watch a few youtube videos on Ignition, download kepware and Ignition and run in the 2 hour trial modes. You'll get more out of that than you will building custom API's and monitoring...ect.

After you put something "clean" together, then sell it to management you can get some money for software licensing of Kepware and Ignition.

Kepware's "manufacturing suite" license will be required regardless of the route to cover most of your PLC communication needs, that's around $2250 USD, Single client of Ignition will run ~ $2600 USD so for $5000 you'll have a pretty good baseline. You could probably do PeakHMI as mentioned or Indusoft for a lower cost than Ignition, but I like Ignition ;)
 
Hello,

>You could probably do PeakHMI as mentioned

You are correct, he could, for a LOT less money. (Kepware not required or any third party driver.)
 
Hello,

>You could probably do PeakHMI as mentioned

You are correct, he could, for a LOT less money. (Kepware not required or any third party driver.)

Just curious, off-topic, but the Peak HMI website is pretty pathetic. Are you associated with PeakHMI? If so, what gives? I'll probably never buy PeakHMI, if I ever where interested I can't say that I would even consider it. If the website is that poor will it reflect on the software? There is something to be said for marketing on some level. I know there are many proponents on the forums, but still if I linked your website to my management...
 
Hello,

>Are you associated with PeakHMI?

Yes.

>If the website is that poor will it reflect on the software?

No, that is judging a book by its cover.

We have a trial version, lots of videos and demo projects, extensive help files and a 900+ page manual, and excellent support. Trying the product would be...a wild and crazy idea.

Anything added to the data on the web site would only be pretty pictures or in other words flash. I have heard the same opinion about the website from other folks and when I asked the opinion giver what they would change/add they had nothing to say. Do I think our website could have more style, yes. What return/benefit that translates into is another question.

>but still if I linked your website to my management...

Most folks that have to convince management, use the features of the product, the price, support level, etc. and not the website appearance. Well and their own power of persuasion coupled with the regard management holds their opinion.

Thanks for sharing your opinion.
 
Hello,
No, that is judging a book by its cover.

Yup, happens all the time.

We have a trial version, lots of videos and demo projects, extensive help files and a 900+ page manual, and excellent support. Trying the product would be...a wild and crazy idea.

I didn't see a link to any videos. Screenshots yes, not videos. Do I have to youtube it?

I found the demo project links.

I don't see links to extensive help files, or manual.

I only see a support email. No phone number.

I'm all for trying a product, but at least buy me a drink of the cheap stuff before you tell me your name is Bob and you sell insurance. SELL me the idea it's worth my time. Watch some videos, read some manuals, download it, create a virtual machine to install it on, test it...etc. I'm busy and my boss and wife are gonna yell at me if I'm not careful.

Most folks that have to convince management, use the features of the product, the price, support level, etc. and not the website appearance. Well and their own power of persuasion coupled with the regard management holds their opinion.

Ok, so what are the features of the product? What is the support level? Where are the marketing materials I can use to sell to management and potential clients? I found the price easily enough as it's on the home page, why would I go through the effort of making my own "sales" ammunition? Perhaps that is the "catch" for such a low cost product.

(those were rhetorical questions, no need to attempt to answer)

Convince me to put time and effort into your product, convince me that I should put my credibility on the line for your product, it's really not much to ask.

Thanks for sharing your opinion.

Thanks for listening!

OP - Sorry for derailing the thread.
 
Hello,

>I didn't see a link to any videos. Screenshots yes, not videos. Do I have to youtube it?

They are one the page where you download the demo. No you do not need to youtube it
but they are also on youtube.

>I don't see links to extensive help files, or manual.

The help files are installed with the product and the manual is on the same page where you download the demo.

>Ok, so what are the features of the product?

Listed on the web site.

I begin to think you did not get past the first page.
 
I am quite offended - Bob an insurance salesman? Try SI working his bum off! LOL
 

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