Excel Add-In to log data from OPC

[killer]

I didn't say it was good. All I said that it was free.

 

[surferb]

lol - fair enough.

I'm happy as long as we clarify the useful scope of the tool. Good to know the "right way" of doing things. Also good to know the free way...sometimes they coincide.

I didn't say it was good. All I said that it was free.

 

[mjisaacs]

Sorry I'm late , honey. Traffic was murder!

This post may be late, but someone might find it useful. I would suggest checking out the product line from Software Toolbox ( http://www.softwaretoolbox.com ). They have always had an answer for me when it comes to OPC / datalogging and at a reasonable price. They have great tech support! They once spent 7 hours on the phone with me on a failed datalogger problem (4pm-11pm) only to find the PC hardware was to blame!

 

[JeffKiper]

Surferb what do you recommend to use?
I am doing a little research. We have a sheet that the operator has to go every 15min. or so and record the data. Then the supervisor loads the data into an excel sheet. The operator looks at a group of 30 + single loop controllers to record the data. I am building a control sytem to replace the controllers with a CompactLogix that will be on a network. Easy to extract data from I hope. I THINK/HOPE that we should be able use data logging to simplify this task.

 

[surferb]

Now would be a good time to disclose that I'm not an employee of, but do contract work for Inductive Automation - I've been hooked since I helped them develop software in college, then went of to the military. Here's a short video that demonstrates logging data to an SQL database with FactorySQL. If you're interested, they'll answer all your questions during a web demo.

The logging portion should be achieved with an OPC->SQL datalogger. Powerful SQL databases are free, easy to install, and run well on regular PCs (Win XP, for example). Again, my recommendation is FactorySQL. You might also contact Matrikon or Software Toolbox, both are good outfits. For a very small project, OPCEx or similar.

The scope that you're project might eventually get will dictate your best choice. If you're storing data for regulatory purposes and not using it much, a simple data logger will do fine. You would still have the ability for a technical user to connect over the network to view data and manually export date ranges to a .CSV file to use with Excel.

Inductive Automation's bread and butter is on growing into a distributed SCADA system. FactoryPMI expands on FactorySQL by allowing you to build screens that display graphs, sortable tables, choose a date range to export to Excel, etc. Capabilities also include graphical representations of realtime/historical controls. Users pull up this data by clicking a link from a web page on your local network. That's a fixed cost approach that will scale with your plant. Other vendors approaches typically split the HMI portion from the Historian, but allow you to achieve similar results.

If your project will always be small (users on one computer), then cheaper OPC utilities would be appropriate. To answer your question.
1. Getting your Compact Logix on an Ethernet network should be a piece of cake.
2. Data will be easy to extract. OPC is the standard that makes this possible. Your "OPC Server" would be RSLinx (any version but Lite), Kepserver Ex, Matrikon, etc.
3. Logging the data should be a simple drag and drop approach using an OPC to SQL data logger.

Hope that helps,

Surferb what do you recommend to use?
I am doing a little research. We have a sheet that the operator has to go every 15min. or so and record the data. Then the supervisor loads the data into an excel sheet. The operator looks at a group of 30 + single loop controllers to record the data. I am building a control sytem to replace the controllers with a CompactLogix that will be on a network. Easy to extract data from I hope. I THINK/HOPE that we should be able use data logging to simplify this task.

 

[darrenj]

Hmmm...will this work with RS linx classic / rsviewme??..keep getting the same error message..

Thanks

 

[darrenj]

Hmmm...will this work with RS linx classic / rsviewme??..keep getting the same error message..

Thanks

To answer my own question..NOPE!

you need OEM at a minimum...

 

[surferb]

Classic refers to the non-Factory Talk version. I guess you were asking if "Lite" (the free version) worked - and you're right. The answer is no, it's not an OPC server. Every other version would work fine (OEM, gateway, pro, even the "single plc" one).

To answer my own question..NOPE!

you need OEM at a minimum...