WinCC Flex - Coming Soon!!

[JesperMP]

A Dell server with WinCC, and NetPro at an extreme license fee total to do what we need.

Siemens has announced that every WinCC Flex RT license will include an ethernet SoftnetS7 lean license. So it could potentially reduce the total cost of the application (for PC based solutions).

Also, I wonder why anyone would chose WinAC on an MP panel.
Its expensive and less performant than a regular S7 CPU.
I think that one should never go outside the "mainstream" of automation equipment. Unless there is a specific reason of course.

If the reason was that it was a way to get to the data via ethernet, thne that has changed as Siemens has released ethernet capable CPUs that are also reasonably priced.

 

[DesertDog]

It was sold and mostly implemented by consultants before I arrived. This configuration was influenced heavily by Siemens sales staff. Personally I'm leery of putting that much faith in Windows Crippled Edition. Although I would not recommend this setup but it has worked OK with a few issues, some of which that combining everything would probably make worse:

Cost - As the promised configuration is still not available almost a year later and the work around adds great cost.
Lockups - Sometimes the screen locks up during the first 10 minutes of use.
Speed - There is an obvious compromise between PLC time and Screen time on the processor causing odd occasional pauses during screen maneuvers, fortunately the PLC takes priority.
ProTool - I don't find ProTool to be a very high end user friendly solution.

 

[DesertDog]

Any WinCC Flex updates

Any news on this front?

I am giving up on ever combining WinCC Flex with WinAC. I plan on changing to an MP-370 with WinCC Flex and using a 314 or 315 instead of WinAC. Is WinCC getting any better? Any tips I should be aware of?

I have a couple of concerns:

Supporting the ProTool applications I have after I put WinCC Flex on my development laptop.

The ability to import the ProTool application I'm running into WinCC Flex.

How does the web interface work? Can it be passed through a router to the Internet? I'm currently using Web Navigator with WinCC on a additional computer to achieve this. This also allows me to attach through remote services and perform PLC updates.

Also some questions.
Is there the capability to program the PLC online from/through WinCC Flex if I have an Ethernet connection to the PLC?

Thanks

 

[RMA]

In the German SPS-Foren.de there have been rumours that WinCC Flexible 2005 should be coming in August. Apparently, apart from solving a load of bugs, it should also run happily with 512 MB memory.

As for how much truth there is in the rumours, no idea, we'll just have to wait and see. At least the timing sounds plausible.

 

[JesperMP]

I attended a Win CC Flexible training session in april. At that time it was stipulated that Flexible 2005 should be released "sometime in june". I dont hope that it has slipped to August allready.

About your concerns:

Supporting the ProTool applications I have after I put WinCC Flex on my development laptop.
You can have Protool and Flexible on the same computer. But only one can be integrated with STEP7 at a time.

The ability to import the ProTool application I'm running into WinCC Flex.
This works quite well allready with Flexible 2004 SP1. The original release generated a lot of errors.
Actually, I am currently developing my applications in Protool, and I intend to port them to Flexible for the final shipping of the projects.

How does the web interface work? Can it be passed through a router to the Internet?
I saw it and it worked very well. A router is required to go via www.

Is there the capability to program the PLC online from/through WinCC Flex if I have an Ethernet connection to the PLC?
Err.. if you have a router + ethernet connection to Win CC Flexible RT, then that connection can also be used to connect from STEP7 to the remote S7 (if S7 is on Ethernet). This has nothing to do with Win CC Flexible though.
There is an option package that allows Flexible to work as an OPC server to the connected S7, but that is not what you are after.
If you are thinking about using Flexible as a "Router" between a PC on ethernet to an S7 on MPI/Profibus, then I think "no" but I may be wrong.
The remote programming possibilities for S7 that I know are MPI/Profibus via a modem/ISDN connection or Ethernet via a Router+www.

 

[DesertDog]

Thank you so mush for the info, it's exactly the insight I was looking for.

As for this:

Is there the capability to program the PLC online from/through WinCC Flex if I have an Ethernet connection to the PLC?
Err.. if you have a router + ethernet connection to Win CC Flexible RT, then that connection can also be used to connect from STEP7 to the remote S7 (if S7 is on Ethernet). This has nothing to do with Win CC Flexible though.
There is an option package that allows Flexible to work as an OPC server to the connected S7, but that is not what you are after.
If you are thinking about using Flexible as a "Router" between a PC on ethernet to an S7 on MPI/Profibus, then I think "no" but I may be wrong.
The remote programming possibilities for S7 that I know are MPI/Profibus via a modem/ISDN connection or Ethernet via a Router+www.

I've tried a little to attach to the PLC (WinnAC) directly but have not had much luck. The PLC has an Local IP address (xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx) translated through a router to an internet IP Address (yyy.yyy.yyy.yyy). I don't know what port numbers have to be opened on the router and I don't know what the gateway etc settings in Step-7 should be. So far we've had a computer on site for webnavigator so I've just used remote desktop.

Thanks again

 

[RMA]

My SUS update copy of WinCC Flex 2005 has just landed on my desk. Now for a couple of hours installation to see if it's been worth the wait.

First thing I've noticed - Recommended memory 1 GB, if running ProTool integrated in Step7 or Simotion Scout, > 1GB!