PLC Time Sync with OPC Tags

kenwos_19 · May 18, 2023

Ken Roach said:
About FTView ME and PanelView Plus terminal time:

One of the unusual features of PV+ is that it doesn't have an ordinary NTP client that's independent of a connection to a Windows domain. If you're not using domain authentication and membership, then you don't have an easy way to get the PV+ system time set via an upper-level network. (This might have changed with the new PV+7 Series B with Windows 10 IoT Edition).

But it does have a Global Connection that allows you to read specific tags for each element of the system time from a PLC, then use another boolean tag transition from false to true to have the PV+ apply those values to its system clock.

For most users, those tags are derived from the Status file (PLC/SLC) or using a Get System Variable (GSV) instruction to access the Wall Clock Time (Logix).

But they don't have to be. They could be tags written by your OPC server to the controller, that aren't connected to the controller's clock at all.

Thanks Ken, I have accessed all these resources. Indeed the aim is to use the Global Connections to manage the time in the ME stations from Tags in the machine PLC. These tags were to be derived from a syncronised PLC master clock, but the issue with disruption to the Motion control when time is managed this way prevents me from using the PTP or CIP automatic time syncing. Which I why I want to self manage the Time values in the PLC tags that are connected to the ME stations, and other devices (Printers, HMI, scanners and vision systems).
Many of these systems create time stamps on internal file systems and logs, so we need a unified Time zone across the manufacturing site.

I think for me I have established my route forward. OPC deriverd Tags.

PLC Time Sync with OPC Tags

kenwos_19

Member

Similar Topics