Best Touchscreen with Compactlogix NOT panelview

[KNeland]

Multiple Projects coming up with lots of Touchscreen development. Am I the only one that finds the Panelview and Factory Talk ME to be severely lacking? The customer likes lots of macros for navigation and multi function buttons....The Omron screens are very nice in these areas...Looking for quality opinions and experiences of Touch screens with great functionality that work well with Logix5000. (I love the G3 series but have had some questions of long term duribility/reliability)

 

[bkottaras]

Red Lion (native L5K) works well.
I guess as you mentioned you've had some issues.....
KEP/Weintek units as they support pretty much everything and do come with logger,trends,recipes and a bunch of stuff that others can't touch for the price.

 

[danatomega]

+1 on Red Lion

 

[KNeland]

Thanks for Reply...I have used the Weintek and they are awesome at the price point. Price not being an issue, we are looking for ease of use in development (time saving) and functionality...scripting, macros, that kind of thing. The Customer likes to imbue buttons with multiple functions like momentary buttons controlling things that could instead navigate to other screens in certain circumstances based on logic or authentication..etc..

 

[KNeland]

I've used RedLion G3s in several projects with great effect. However my current employer has reportedly had experiences with reliability issues hardware wise with the G3. Something about the Serial Ports having loose tolerances, and thereby making for problems with comms after extended deployment in the field.....That one was fun troubleshooting(so they tell me). The current application we want to put them into would result in the touch screens used on OEM machines that would likely be turned on and left in a plant to run endlessly for years. Long term reliability is primary in the decision.

 

[Archie]

A lot of people are using AdvancedHMI with the ControlLogix/CompactLogix controllers. It runs on any Windows PC (even Linux), so it is not hardware dependent. For example, I typically use Acrosser industrial panel PCs with an AdvancedHMI application ($700-$1000). I have had quite a few of these in the field for 3+ years and they continue to work flawlessly. To date I have deployed 25+ of these. If your hardware does fail, then grab a cheap laptop and the machine is back running until new hardware arrives.

As for the flexibility of "macros", AdvancedHMI leaves the full VB or C# .NET back end fully accessible, so the possibility of what can be done far exceeds any other HMI software.

 

[einnh]

We just started using Red Lion Graphite series. The Crimson software is very straightforward without limiting advanced features. Working great so far. We use with CLX L1x and L2x 56370s

 

[KNeland]

Indeed love the Crimson software....Was wondering about the reliability and function of the Graphite screens......As I said, my experience using the G3 screens was positive as a programmer. Jury is out on how those screens will be functioning in 15 years. If it comes down to just programming environment I'd have settled on the Redlion screen already. The customer up to now has been using Panel view 1000s and they last for ever generally....just that the software usability and functionality seems like it hasn't really been improved since the 90s(strange because the associated PLC software Logix5000 is such a pleasure to work with)

 

[dginbuffalo]

I like certain functions of both Panelview and Red Lion. I grew to really like the ease of the Red Lion especially if I needed a few different communication protocols into 1 system. Also like how easy the remote access was to set up. The more i used it, the more i learned it had some pretty powerful functions. Plus free software, easy version changes, etc, etc... Never has any hardware problems although I have heard of some on this site. probably used on 20 jobs without any issues.

 

[curlyandshemp]

Multiple Projects coming up with lots of Touchscreen development. Am I the only one that finds the Panelview and Factory Talk ME to be severely lacking? The customer likes lots of macros for navigation and multi function buttons....The Omron screens are very nice in these areas...Looking for quality opinions and experiences of Touch screens with great functionality that work well with Logix5000. (I love the G3 series but have had some questions of long term duribility/reliability)

we like the Schneider Magelis XBGT series

 

[boneless]

We use many Beijer iX panels, very nice but sometimes very tricky.

One of those love and hate things I guess

 

[jtashaffer]

Proface

 

[shanoes]

+1 on Magelis they are a nice HMI

 

[jmsmoreira]

I have used a lot of Beijer IX with logix 5000 lately, and find it very good. Very easy to connect it to logix variables.

 

[arlenjacobs]

Hardware that will last: Siemens, Rockwell, Proface/Schneider, and you could look at Omron. You already know Rockwell, and I'd guess Siemens as well.

Proface/Schneider are identical hardware but have different software. Those and Omron, I recall, are Japanese made and of high quality. But installation tolerances need to be exact (thin gaskets) and instructions followed (torque settings, etc.). Omron has a new software environment which looks fantastic! Low on features at the moment and it's also new (bugs?).

Beijer terminals are well constructed and use quality components. The design software gives you lots of script and feature options; one of the better design environments. But, I've heard of and had a few quirky (buggy) days with the software.


Don't forget about the vendor itself. It's nice to have a terminal that lasts 10+ years but very different when you need to repair/replace it in 10+ years. Will it still be for sale? Easy drop in replacements? Good project migration to their new terminals?

Archie brings up a solid point; go with a PC solution and you don't need to worry about the vendor. Any PC can replace.