PLC Program Management

[zmanvortex]

Hi all. We are an OEM manufacturer and I do most of the plc programming for our machines. When I write a program on my desktop I save it to our engineering departments server, then when I need to load it into a machine I load a copy of it on my laptop and download it. Lately it has been so busy that this program management thing is getting away from me. I will make a debug adjustment with the laptop and then get pulled of to something else. I cannot remember if I placed the modified program back on the server or not.

I would really love to have some sort of a check in and check out system, but when I go on a service call, my peers may need to load a program for the same machine back at the plant.

I simply don't have time to compare the modification date properties of the files. I was wondering if any of you guys have the same problem, and if you use program management software.

I know that if I just took the time to store the programs right away I would not have this problem, but time is against me lately. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[LJBMatt]

There is a PLC software management system called MASS autosave from MDT software. It's a fairly robust system, but is on the expensive side especially if you have a smaller operation. MASS forces users to log into a server to "check out" a PLC program and prevent multiple copies from floating around. When the program is closed it saves the software back up to the server. It can also do revision storage and automatic backup of software. It will also log who last edited the software and who created different revisions of the software. It's a great tool for a medium to large operation, but is expensive and you will need to have a system network (Ethernet, DH+, etc.) setup on the floor for it to be feasible.

[Pierre]

Well, join the Club!

I have seen companie which uses Version control program but they where not OEM.

Since I am one and most my clients are also, Its a catch 22 situation.

What I do is that I have a "General" version that fits to most there equipments versions.

Thats what I and them load into there newer systems in the shop. Once it get to the End-user it gets modified and chages number.

For instance anything, wether its drawings or program, that is done in the shop has version numbers under Zero ... like V0.1

Anything outside (at the clients place) get numbered above zero... like V1.0

My interventions are what sets the version numbers. If its my fourth visit to the plant the drawings AND software version shift to V4.nn

This way I know what was done and when.

ALL system have there own software versions. Some are identical but they all have seperate folders on my backup disk and HD.

I also use a RAM disk (512MB) which is used before I shutdown my laptop. I am very discipline in this mather.

Its very easy to find the last version because it has the highest V number.

I sometimes get asked why I write "programming" in my commisionning reports. "Ain'T this machine the same has the last one" They ask. I usually endup telling them that the last system had 22 photoeyes and this one has 54. They say things like "Does it make a difference, it the same machine" And that is when I start to speak french to them bonkhead

[Ken Moore]

Don't have any kind of management software, but what I do is this:

I always use the date as part of the file name.
That way I know right off the bat, which file is newer.


2003_8_15_machine1
2004_10_28_machine1
2004_11_01_machine1

By putting the year first, they automatically sort in the correct order whenever I open up explorer.

I use the same format for everything, SCADA, PLC, pc backups etc...

Ken

[RMA]

I use Ken's system too for my archives, although for the current version I use a shorter name because the Siemens S/W basically wants a maximum of 8 characters (presumably DOS making itself felt somehwere along the line).

As he says, by using the Year-Month-Date format, you get your files automatically sorted by date in the Windows Explorer. This makes it very easy to recover a particular previous version of the program.

I also use it for everything now, but I stole the idea from my Bookkeeping software!

[GregPLC]

Check out a program called QVCS. It's an inexpensive solution for a relatively simple problem.

Greg