FACTis HMI Software - PLCS.net

RoTaTech · February 8th, 2019, 08:15 AM

Two questions:

We are about to replace an old(er) HMI on a machine with FACTis - another old piece of software. We about to buy a *new* old PC -- that is, brand new, but with PIII-era hardware. It must run DOS, have a parallel port for the dongle, have slot for an ISA RS422 card, and serial or PS/2 mouse. USB is useful for loading the software into it. But the prices being charged for hardware that I can literally go pick out of the e-waste bin, is ludicrous!

Q1: Does anyone else on this form use Factis, and if so, what is the most modern hardware on which you have successfully run it?

Q2: If any of you /used/ to use Factis, might you have a dongle - or several - for it lying around, that you would part with?

sigmadelta · February 8th, 2019, 03:47 PM

What is the obstacle to using a more modern HMI software? Which PLC/controller is involved?

cardosocea · February 11th, 2019, 03:30 AM

Have you priced the replacement with something modern to bring it forward to the man holding the chequebook?

I know of one, now dead, offshore drillship that was saved by a 10$ part off of eBay. Had the person selling it know that it was going to save an upgrade of several thousand dollars, the price would have been different.
Have you had a look there? I know it's a longshot nowadays, but you never know.

Have you looked to see if the dongle can be reverse engineered?

RoTaTech · February 11th, 2019, 08:21 AM

We have 24 machines with the majority running Factis connected to Siemens 505 series PLCs. I'm sure I could find something just as capable and more modern, but with the time and effort they've put in here, I'd have to prove out a change before they would.

Over the next two to three weeks I'll be delving into some changes on the HMIs, so will get to know the software, and what we really need from it ... But change may have to wait for machine #2 - I've until March 1 to get this one back in commission, and likely won't have time to re-write an HMI. But, open to ideas. It may be a prime time to quickly learn AdvancedHMI ...

curlyandshemp · February 13th, 2019, 02:27 PM

Wow, FactIS have not heard that name in a long time. Developed by Tom Bertha and Marion _____ ( last name escapes me ) out of Livonia MI.

YACL

Yet
Another
Computer
Language

was the windows big brother of the DOS ICM Alert

Aabeck · February 13th, 2019, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoTaTech

have a parallel port for the dongle,

Have you checked if you can get a dongle upgrade?

I had a VisiWin project with a LPT dongle there was a USB upgrade available for at a decent price after the all-in-one touchscreen died.

February 8th, 2019, 08:15 AM	#1
RoTaTech Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Trenton, ON, Canada Posts: 376	FACTis HMI Software Two questions: We are about to replace an old(er) HMI on a machine with FACTis - another old piece of software. We about to buy a new old PC -- that is, brand new, but with PIII-era hardware. It must run DOS, have a parallel port for the dongle, have slot for an ISA RS422 card, and serial or PS/2 mouse. USB is useful for loading the software into it. But the prices being charged for hardware that I can literally go pick out of the e-waste bin, is ludicrous! Q1: Does anyone else on this form use Factis, and if so, what is the most modern hardware on which you have successfully run it? Q2: If any of you /used/ to use Factis, might you have a dongle - or several - for it lying around, that you would part with? __________________ "Nice mirror!" said Tom reflectively. Last edited by RoTaTech; February 8th, 2019 at 08:17 AM. Reason: punctuation

February 11th, 2019, 08:21 AM	#4
RoTaTech Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Trenton, ON, Canada Posts: 376	We have 24 machines with the majority running Factis connected to Siemens 505 series PLCs. I'm sure I could find something just as capable and more modern, but with the time and effort they've put in here, I'd have to prove out a change before they would. Over the next two to three weeks I'll be delving into some changes on the HMIs, so will get to know the software, and what we really need from it ... But change may have to wait for machine #2 - I've until March 1 to get this one back in commission, and likely won't have time to re-write an HMI. But, open to ideas. It may be a prime time to quickly learn AdvancedHMI ... __________________ "Nice mirror!" said Tom reflectively.

February 13th, 2019, 02:27 PM	#5
curlyandshemp Lifetime Supporting Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,877	Wow, FactIS have not heard that name in a long time. Developed by Tom Bertha and Marion _____ ( last name escapes me ) out of Livonia MI. YACL Yet Another Computer Language was the windows big brother of the DOS ICM Alert __________________ Work to Ride, Then Ride to Work I would rather have a bottle in front of me.. than have a frontal lobotomy

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February 8th, 2019, 03:47 PM	#2
sigmadelta Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: From Canada - Living in Bulgaria Posts: 914	What is the obstacle to using a more modern HMI software? Which PLC/controller is involved? __________________ Freelance Automation Programmer

February 11th, 2019, 03:30 AM	#3
cardosocea Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Fields of corn Posts: 1,275	Have you priced the replacement with something modern to bring it forward to the man holding the chequebook? I know of one, now dead, offshore drillship that was saved by a 10$ part off of eBay. Had the person selling it know that it was going to save an upgrade of several thousand dollars, the price would have been different. Have you had a look there? I know it's a longshot nowadays, but you never know. Have you looked to see if the dongle can be reverse engineered?

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