FactoryTalk SE or ME?

I am being charged with integrating all systems in our production plant. We have various AB products and are switching over the rest to AB now. Currently we have 4 HMI panels running on AutomationDirect. I need to convert these and add 6 more HMIs. The panels need to control conveyors, PIDs, valves, assorted brand machines running PLCs(mainly ControlLogix), climate control, lighting, pretty much the entire plant.
The main question is will ME be better than SE? Does SE or ME do the same as AutomationDirect's C-more?

ME is the platform you program all the new PV+'s in.

SE is more for computer based SCADA setups.

Is programming in ME much different than SE? I took RS class for SE recently and hope it wasnt a waste of company money...

SE is more involved than ME, I believe your training will translate very well as the general concepts are quite similar.

keithterrell said:

Is programming in ME much different than SE? I took RS class for SE recently and hope it wasnt a waste of company money...

Click to expand...

I don't have much experience with SE, but I know that much of the programming as far as developing the screens, using objects, and creating tags is very similar between platforms. There are significant differences in alarm and communication setups between the platforms.

Run a google search for the ME and SE user manuals. They are good resources, and will be able to illustrate any differences you may run in to when building applications in ME.

If you got enough out of the class to be able to program comfortably in SE, then you shouldn't have too much trouble with ME.

If you are using stand alone HMI's like the AD panels, you need FTView ME, which programs the PV+ models. Of course, I would strongly suggest that you don't use FTView or PV+'s ever, at all, for any reason.

They are expensive, pretty much built on technology from 1980, the software is buggy, and will probably trash your computer unless it's installed in a VM. Rockwell PLC's are fine, so are their drives. Their HMI software and hardware however, is absolute trash.