Moisture Meters connecting to OPC Server?

I have a moisture meter that I want connected so we can log data from it. The specs mention that it supports OPC-DDE, would that mean I can connect it to Kepserver and gather data?
Thanks.

Moisture meter is Process Sensor MCT300

Link to said spec sheet ?

Going to guess it is this http://www.mli.com.mx/pdf/mct_300_folleto.pdf

Lacking the manual, I will take a guess that you install their standalone software and that software provides the OPC interface.

So, anything that can poll an OPC server and capture data should work in theory. I would expect Kepware's datalogger to work, but you should be able to test using the OPC Foundation Toolkit and see if you can view the OPC server.

it also looks like you can slap a network interface on the unit and get it to expose information via modbus. I'd probably go that route lacking any other information.

That is the correct brochure I was looking at as well.

We already have purchased the Ethernet TCP/IP modules for them. So Modbus is not feasible at this stage. Unfortunately, there is no contorllogix PLC in the vicinity where I can poll values into and read the data.

I am unsure if and how the standalone software can serve data to the OPC server, in this case the Kepserver.

Is the OPC Foundation Toolkit that you mention of free of charge? Is that a server or client? Can you provide some more information on that please and thanks!

Optional Plug In Interfaces:Ethernet TCP/IP, DeviceNet, Profibus, Modbus.
Software: Windows-based stand-alone program or OPC-DDE server

Click to expand...

The "OPC-DDE Server" could sound as if there is a dedicated OPC server for the sensor, so that maybe it does not need an additional interface and 3rd party OPC server.

anthr_plcnewbie said:

That is the correct brochure I was looking at as well.

We already have purchased the Ethernet TCP/IP modules for them. So Modbus is not feasible at this stage. Unfortunately, there is no contorllogix PLC in the vicinity where I can poll values into and read the data.

I am unsure if and how the standalone software can serve data to the OPC server, in this case the Kepserver.

Is the OPC Foundation Toolkit that you mention of free of charge? Is that a server or client? Can you provide some more information on that please and thanks!

Click to expand...

So, you need to be a foundation member for that one.

However, Matrikon provides some free tools you can test this with.
http://matrikonopc.com/products/opc-desktop-tools/index.aspx

So, I'd find the manual for the analyser and see if the unit provides the OPC server or the standalone software does. Then use the explorer test client and see if you can decipher the data format.

anthr_plcnewbie said:

I am unsure if and how the standalone software can serve data to the OPC server, in this case the Kepserver.

Click to expand...

It is possible that the existing Kepserver can connect to the moisture sensor. But it is not absolutely necessary.

There must be some kind of OPC client software. Otherwise the existing OPC Server (Kepserver) serves no purpose.
An OPC client can connect to any OPC server.
So, this OPC client will be able to connect to the OPC server for the moisture sensor, either one that is dedicated to the sensor (from the manufacturer), or one that supports some kind of standard protocol (from a 3rd party OPC server, such as Kepserver).

Kepserver is a 3rd party OPC server that can support several communication protocols at the same time.
But you probably have to purchase a license for each protocol.