Highly Extendable/Scriptable HMI solutions?

theColonel26

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theColonel26
Join Date
Feb 2014
Location
West Michigan
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The NoGoes so far are

  • Wonderware InTouch Machine Edition is junk, it freezes constantly when debugging scripts.
    • Currently using this :sick:
  • Ignition is too expensive (or so I hear)
  • AdvancedHMI is not an option as it provides no closed source license option
 
The bad news is that you've just dismissed the two best out of hand.

I also wish that VBScript debugging on InTouchME / Indusoft Web Studio was a little better, but it is my favorite HMI software.

FactoryTalk View SE has a strong VBA engine and broad VBA-exposed object model, which I think also leads to dependency on VBA and overall low stability.

If there was a Windows-based HMI with Python scripting that supported the C-based NumPy and SciPy libraries, I would use it every day. But there isn't.
 
Why is one of your requirements a closed-source license?

Also, ignition has tiered pricing. Can be very affordable, depending on your needs.
 
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You need to talk with "Ignition"! (This is what my company uses) and after talking with them we found that they are very affordable. And what you get in return is amazing!!
 
theColonel26 said:
The NoGoes so far are

  • Wonderware InTouch Machine Edition is junk, it freezes constantly when debugging scripts.
    • Currently using this :sick:
  • Ignition is too expensive (or so I hear)
  • AdvancedHMI is not an option as it provides no closed source license option
Click to expand...

Not true about AAHMI, you can buy his driver for only $200 and use it as close source

Igntion is expensive , to do anything meaningful, you will need the pro version which is $21K
 
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BachPhi said:
Igntion is expensive , to do anything meaningful, you will need the pro version which is $21K
Click to expand...

Define "meaningful".

5 Client plus tag history is $6100 (Vision, Tag History, AB Drivers) and meets OP's requirements. Bring the price down further if you only need a single client license.

You can do a heck-of-alot with these core modules.
 
And did anybody look at the bottom of the page?? I would suggest before running scared because of a price tag, you should make a phone call.

Both parties deserve that!

Ignition Price.jpg
 
Ignition breaks the mould in terms of what people know of SCADA licensing.
The 20k price tag is their Rolls Royce (if you think British cars are the pinnacle of the automotive industry) and I dare say that it's way over what most people need.

The cheapest per server is 10k and that is without limitation on number of tags, screens, included historian and a nicer package to communicate with databases.

I would just like you to add iFix to your NO GO list because it's absolute trash. Also, their scripting engine is single thread... so if one of your scripts locks up, you can say goodbye to everything else.
 
LOL, If you are calling $21K is the Roll Royce, then what about their other option "Ultimate" which is $30K?

Actually, since you are spending a good chunk of money in it, you should also think of fail over as a backup measurement and that's now bring the price up to
$30K for Pro option and $45K for Ultimate option.
 
You can run the ignition gateway on anything, including a virtualized server or a laptop sitting in the shop. So having a fully licensed backup server is probably not necessary for most customers.

How do the other SCADA vendors do failover server licensing?
 
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Keep in mind those are list prices. Some are eligible for up to 30% discount. Ignition pricing is very comparable to Wonderware. But it's so much better that you can't just look at price alone. I also wouldn't stare too hard at their recommended package. To me that's just their marketing trying to up sell.
 

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