OPC server and communiation with PLCs

[hilos]

Well, there is a need for the communication between M340 PLCs. Because of that, I use NOE module. It has I/O scanning. M340 doesn't need to communicate with S7-300. SCADA on both PCs has to read/write them all. I still don't have type of Citec, this is just block scheme for a project I work on. First I need to know my equipment demands and than will somebody connect everything together.

 

[goghie]

OK. Regarding drivers I would suggest you to use direct drivers, as Citect did them very well. Easiest and most price effective way will be to connect PLCs to one PC, where will be defined CLUSTER, I/O SERVER, BOARDs, PORTs, and I/O Devices. You would need two licences, one would be FULL licence, and other would be CONTROL CLIENT licence. But, taking in mind that you have several quite expensive PLCs, it think that it might be good to buy 2 control client licences, and put the according to your process needs/disposition of equipment. If you do that, if one PC is shutdown, then you are not completely "blind".

 

[hilos]

Gorane (goghie) thank you very much for your help. I'll take that in consideration.

 

[goghie]

I saw that I made error. Should be written that it is better to buy 2 FULL licences (not control client)...

 

[hilos]

Just to check another thing. With Sitec, I can read/write data on all 5 PLCs M340, without using OPC?
Thank you in advance for your response!

 

[goghie]

Just to check another thing. With Sitec, I can read/write data on all 5 PLCs M340, without using OPC?
Thank you in advance for your response!

Yes, also from S7. Drivers are included for wast majority of PLCs.

 

[hilos]

Greetings again!
I've just spoken with one of my colleagues on this issue, and he told me that you can not connect Siemens S7-300 PLC to Schneider SCADA (Sitec). In that purpose you need Siemens OPC server to communicate between Siemens PLC and Schneider SCADA.

 

[goghie]

You colleagues are wrong.
The Citect S7NT driver enables communication with the Siemens S7-300 and S7-400 PLC devices via Profibus, MPI, or Ethernet connection.

 

[JesperMP]

If you follow this instruction, you will see that you need Simatic Net, despite that Citect does not use OPC.

 

[hilos]

I've followed your instructions, JesperMP, and I've found that you need Simatic Net for TCP/IP communication, but Simatic NET is some kind of OPC, isn't it? There is Simatic net pc and simatic net OPC server, what is the difference?
And what is the price, if you know, by chance?

 

[JesperMP]

Simatic Net does several things.
One is that it is an OPC Server.
Another thing is that it is a Siemens driver concept that precedes OPC called "S7 API". It is this one that Citect uses.

You need a Simatic Net software for the particular protocol and hardware.
So it is different if it is for MPI/Profibus or for Ethernet.
You mention TCP/IP, so I guess you need Simatic Net for Ethernet.
The least expensive is SIMATIC NET IE LEAN (For Windows 7: 6GK1704-1LW12-0AA0). Costs approx 400 €.

N.B. It is not my instructions. The one I linked to I found by googling for 5 seconds.