Panelview HMI and WonderWare HMI

[passwordg]

Hello.
I couldn't find a satisfying answer on the Rockwell support pages.

Is the Panelview hardware and Rsview software an alternate HMI to what wonderware intouch offers or are they just completely different products ?
What is "FactoryTalk View ME Station" used for ?

Also, a side question - what is RsLinx needed for ?

 

[tomalbright]

They are completely different but similar products. "Factorytalk" which is what Rockwell uses, and "Wonderware" are both graphic packages for operator interface. Panelview is used more for screens, and Wonderware is used on PCs. They each have their pluses and minuses, things one does the other one doesn't. At my current job we use both; Wonderware in the control room, and Panelview in the field, both talking to an RSL5000 PLC.

The "ME Station" is usually used for field terminals, but there is a studio version, and one to run on a PC.

"RSLinx" you'll definitely use for Panelview. Wonderware has its own amazing and confusing driver for the AB PLC. (Once you set it up you can forget it, but the "new guy" approach... is scary!)

Oh yeah... the vendors don't like to talk about each other's products, in public and out loud.

 

[passwordg]

Thanks, that made things very clear.

"RSLinx" you'll definitely use for Panelview. Wonderware has its own amazing and confusing driver for the AB PLC. (Once you set it up you can forget it, but the "new guy" approach... is scary!)

I'm sorry. I meant to write RSNetWorx not RsLinx. RsLinx I know I definitely cannot do without Rslinx.
When or why do we need RSNETWorx ?

 

[Helliana]

RSNetworx is for diagnostics and configuration of DeviceNET, ControlNET, and EtherNET-IP device networks. I shows what all devices are on a network, which node they are, parameters for each device, and other information pertaining to a network.

 

[surferb]

Forum users can be more helpful if you explain your requirements. Are you looking for a physical panel type application or something that runs on a PC? Do you want to do control, data collection, what? What kind of PLCs are you connecting to? Do you integrate with other systems or databases? Do you expect to have mobile devices connected? Other requirements are also useful to capture such as: alerting, reporting, historian/trending, etc, etc. Most vendors have some approach to these things.