PC Tablet as HMI

[yannisk]

Hello,

I would like to connect a PLC through WLAN, directly to a PC Tablet. The PC Tablet should run the wonderware. Is it possible?
Has anyboby done it before?

PS: I read a previous thread about this, but is almost 10 years old.

 

[mk42]

Could it work? Absolutely, depending on what you're trying to do.

There are lots of tablets out there. Make sure you get one that has specs to support your software. You may want an industrial rated tablet (to survive bumps/drops, chemicals/dust, etc), but that will cost a lot more than a cheap basic tablet. You also need to consider resistive vs capacative touch. Capacative is what most mobile devices use, which has multitouch capability, but doesn't work well with gloves. Resistive touch screens are only single touch, but you can use almost anything (gloves, screwdriver, whatever). These are almost exclusively found on industrial devices.

How good is your wireless coverage? Do you have one Access Point on top of the PLC cabinet, or will it be full coverage of the entire plant by IT? If you have a bad wireless connection, your user experience will not be good. If you have to go through IT for the wireless, that may be complicated. If you have a small area of wireless coverage, then the tablet won't be very mobile.

Is the tablet the wonderware server, or is it just a client? If the PC tablet is a client to a server somewhere else, probably should work fine. If the Tablet is the server (or just a single station setup), then you need to be extra certain the rest of the setup is good. If you are doing something like logging on the tablet, you need to be sure that it will be always on and always have a signal/connection.

You probably also want to be sure you can get a charging mount for the tablet if you want it kept out by the PLC.

I don't have much experience with wonderware, but I know some SCADA packages now have web views, where you can run a server somewhere and then have web clients, which can run on just about any OS (android, iOS, windows, linux). This might be an alternative option.

 

[Bering C Sparky]

I have not purchased a Windows based tablet yet, but have been toying with the same sort of Idea.

I was thinking to simply use VNC software to be able to access and manipulate a PC set up elsewhere that is running the Scada software.

Have not tried it yet but in my mind it would be the easiest and cheapest way.

You break your tablet, no problem....the PC is still up and running, no harm done. Grab a new tablet, load VNC software....off and running mobile again.

Any reason this would not be a viable option?
Any negatives to this approach?

Thanks,
BCS

 

[mk42]

BCS,

That concept works just fine for thin clients, I don't see any reason it wouldn't work for a tablet, too. I wonder if they make tablets specifically intended as thin clients?

If not I'm sure a regular one would do the job.

 

[Bering C Sparky]

BCS,

That concept works just fine for thin clients, I don't see any reason it wouldn't work for a tablet, too. I wonder if they make tablets specifically intended as thin clients?

If not I'm sure a regular one would do the job.

Thanks for the input mk42,

 

[PLCMentor]

I have done this with inductive automation's product and with an ipad for startup. I used one of the operator stations and did a remote desktop to that computer. Depending on the tablet, you should be able to install intouch or whatever on it. In addition to MK42's comments you need to be aware of the area classification. Most of the areas I work in are C1D2 and thus equipment must be rated as such. Thus no ipad in the area. I understand that recently there is a tablet maker that has a tablet rated for C1D1. Anyone that has tried to put a display in such an area knows that is a big deal!

 

[mellis]

We've used iPads as thin clients to Wonderware and it worked quite well. Good wireless coverage is very important. We went through corporate IT and it was a slow, painful process. We started out using an RDP app but ended up using ThinManager. The Wonderware clients ran on a virtual server using terminal services.

The good points about using an iPad:
Nice compact size you can hold in one hand while you work.
Excellent Retina display, usually higher resolution than the monitors in the control room.
Pinch is very nice for zooming in to make the buttons on the screen reasonable size to push. (we used the same graphics as the control room stations)
Pretty good selection of ruggedized cases are available.

 

[Aabeck]

When I was creating my first project with AdvancedHMI I learned it would run on a Windows tablet. Using the Ethernet drivers over WiFi I can have a nice portable HMI.

The only thing I haven't been able to do is get a Ethernet serial port (which 3 other computers can connect to) working on the tablet, and it is the full Windows 10 X32 that see's the port on the network, just won't install it. This would be nice for the remote SLC5/03.

 

[yannisk]

Thank you guys! I really appreciate your help...

 

[controlconcepts]

@Aabeck
Not sure if it will install on a tablet but if it is a full windows version it would be worth a try. I have used serial port servers like systech or digi with advancedhmi and many other programs even 98% Rockwell products with great success. I find them on ebay all the time real cheap.

 

[Archie]

The only thing I haven't been able to do is get a Ethernet serial port (which 3 other computers can connect to) working on the tablet, and it is the full Windows 10 X32 that see's the port on the network, just won't install it. This would be nice for the remote SLC5/03.

Just an FYI..... There is a Ethernet-to-Serial adapter being tested with a special AdvancedHMI driver that let's you communicate with SLC, Micro, and PLC5s that only have serial ports. It doesn't require any kind of 3rd party serial server software. It works sort of like an ENI module, but more stable and much lower in cost.