SQL, RSView Question....

[just_lionel]

Hello All,



I have searched and have read many posts until I am a little more than confused.



I need to log data from two separate pieces of equipment that will allow our QA department to view and print records of conveyor speed, temps, level's etc. I need to these variables every fifteen minutes.



I know that excel is out of the question due to its limitations. The equipment is controlled by RSView HMI's (RSview ME). Do I need to set up the ODBC settings through here? Or can I log straight from the PLC and push into SQL Express?



I think I have to do it through RSview, but I want to make sure! Any help would be great!


Thanks guys!

 

[surferb]

RSView won't help you in the way of SQL data logging. Neither will any AB PLCs. Your options are between a hardware or software data logger.

As a rule of thumb, your hardware data logger is more like an appliance - it should have less potential for failure than the PC (The DB runs on a PLC, so ensure that the device does local caching). Hardware devices tend to be less flexible than their software counterparts. There's a recent thread on X-Coupler, available as a Control Logix module. It's well recieved here.

In contrast, software based data loggers run on a PC, which is usually more flexible and powerful, but less robust. In general, I wouldn't categorize either approach as easier or more difficult to configure. The PC as a platform is obviously something that you should run in a more controlled environment that depends on the network for connectivity. In the Rockwell world you're talking about FactoryTalk Historian. I'd also recommend considering a 3rd party OPC data logging application like FactorySQL.

I need to log data from two separate pieces of equipment that will allow our QA department to view and print records of conveyor speed, temps, level's etc. I need to these variables every fifteen minutes.

I know that excel is out of the question due to its limitations. The equipment is controlled by RSView HMI's (RSview ME). Do I need to set up the ODBC settings through here? Or can I log straight from the PLC and push into SQL Express?

I think I have to do it through RSview, but I want to make sure! Any help would be great!Thanks guys!