Compact Logix Brick Data Logging

[The Plc Kid]

I have never done in data logging in the logix series and need some help getting started.

I have a brick compactlogix unit Part # QBFC1B that does not have a CF slot. Can't you log date to excel somehow using linx pro or gateway?

I have a wireless ethernet connection to the unit and i have a laptop with excell 2007 or 2010 to set it up on and i have re linx gateway and pro.

Can someone advise me on how to set this up?

 

[The Plc Kid]

I need to only log one value and i need to sample it abbout every 30 seconds and log it to excel and do a chart for a 24 hr period.

I don't know how possible it is but it would be good to only log when th machine is in run mode. Can i look at a run tag and only log in excel if that bit is high maybe?

 

[Ron Beaufort]

is this going to be an "ongoing" (long term) project - or just a one-day-or-two thing for troubleshooting, etc.? ...

 

[The Plc Kid]

It's just for troubleshooting. I need to log this data for about a week but i will start it fresh each day.

We have some equipment that has been in service about 4 months and has issues. We are just trying to get data to prove our complaint to the OEM.

 

[Ron Beaufort]

see if the following helps ...

http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?p=420460&postcount=1

also - technically you should say "packaged" instead of "brick" ... the "B" word gives some of us a case of cold shivers and various other bad vibes ...

and you DO have a "Better-Than-Lite" version of RSLinx - correct? ...

 

[Ron Beaufort]

have you ever looked at the built-in Trend for RSLogix5000? ... maybe the "logging" feature would meet your needs for this little project ...

 

[The Plc Kid]

Ron

I do have linx gateway and pro activations. I have used the trending a couple times but had a hard time setting it up and there is not much in the help file. Do you know of any detailed documentation on it perhaps?

 

[Ron Beaufort]

check back in an hour or so ... I'll tinker around with it between customer calls ... or maybe (probably?) Mickey will come by and do his famous "librarian" act for us ...

 

[The Plc Kid]

Thanks Ron.

 

[OkiePC]

I have done this with excel using instructions I found on an excel forum. It is probably similar to Ron's link.

EDIT: It looks like they're using the Worksheet_Change event which I didn't have success with when the data is remotely updated by RSLinx. Theirs is a little different so it might be worth a try since it's much simpler than what I had to do.

It was a little bit tricky to get it to work. I was surprised how much trouble you have to go through with excel to set up an interval trigger. Also, i noticed a performance deterioration on the PC I kept it running on. And, even with basic error trapping, if comms were lost to the PLC for whatever reason, excel would sometimes "hose-up" and not get valid data. This only happened twice during the month or so I let my logger run.

Like you, I was only doing some troubleshooting (proving an issue was unrelated to controls). I would not dream of using this type of solution for "real" data gathering.

If you have a Red Lion G3 with a compactflash card on your network, you may be able to add logging (that is reliable) to it in a whole lot less time.

I can send my excel (2003) workbook via p.m. if you want the macro code from it for an example.

 

[Mickey]

check back in an hour or so ... I'll tinker around with it between customer calls ... or maybe (probably?) Mickey will come by and do his famous "librarian" act for us ...

Doesn't RsLogix5000 use RSTrendX Component for trending? I don't have the software so I'm not sure of this. If so see link below if not please disregard.

http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/gr/vwtrnd-gr001_-en-e.pdf

 

[The Plc Kid]

I have seen a few things about using rs trend x object in excel but where can i download trend x i look all over the ab site in downloads and other places.

Anyone know of how to embed it in excel.

@ Mickey

i do think that is what the 5000 trend is based on.

Thanks Mickey

@OkiePC

My email is just [email protected] if you could send me that excel sheet for a example i would like to use it for reference.

Thanks Okie

 

[Ron Beaufort]

so far I've got a TREND logging data to a CSV file on my hard drive ... till playing with the finer points - but I'll be really surprised if this thing isn't the answer you're looking for ...

still (happily) working away ...

 

[Ron Beaufort]

OK ... I think I have enough nuts-and-bolts worked out to say that this is the way I'd try to "log the data" if I were doing the job ... give me a call if you like and I'll give you a quick walk-through ... I won't have time to type up a description ... basically I just poked around through the menus, etc. and told the Trend to save the data as a CSV file - then opened the file with Excel ...

 

[The Plc Kid]

I think see what you are doing ron. For some reason when i am online with the procesor i can not start a new trend. Do you have to be offline?