WinCC Flexible PLS display options

[CharlesM]

I'm making a programmable limit switch interface in WinCC Flexible. A PLS works like the old cam switches. Each turn is 360deg and the operator can set an output to come on and off up to 3 times per rev. So I will have 6 variables 3 for ON 3 for OFF. Thats the easy part. I want to make a graphic that will show these setpoints.

My first thought was to make a line chart 360 points long. Make ON 1 and OFF 0 and show a nice square wave type look. The problem with this is the trend screen in flex would have to be a buffer bit trend and you have to get the data from the PLC (array of 360). So I would have to make a script in Flex to loop through the array then send to the PLC then upload them into the trend. That would be a lot of data to pass back and forth.

Second idea was to put a bunch of lines next to each other making a solid bar 360 long. Make ON green lines and Off red lines. I can change the color in the animation setting but I can't set the variable to an array.

Third idea was like the second. Use 360 lines and use the animation to move the On lines up 25 pixels to get a square wave look. But same problem with not letting me select an array for the animation.

My last idea was to make a red circle and have slices of pie green for the On states. But I can't even think of a way to make this one work.

My first idea is the only one that I see that can work. Anyone have any other ideas?

 

[JesperMP]

My first thought was to make a line chart 360 points long. Make ON 1 and OFF 0 and show a nice square wave type look. The problem with this is the trend screen in flex would have to be a buffer bit trend and you have to get the data from the PLC (array of 360).

Yes this is the way to go.
I think that a bar type trend will give the bestlooking display for your purpose.

So I would have to make a script in Flex to loop through the array then send to the PLC then upload them into the trend. That would be a lot of data to pass back and forth.

No you dont have to program any script. You just have to set the trend request bit, and then Flexible will read and display all the values in one go. And yes all the data will be transferred, but as it is a BOOL array it is not so much, 45 bytes actually.

edit:
Activate the readline, then the operator can use it to read the ON/OFF positions with high precision.

 

[CharlesM]

No you dont have to program any script. You just have to set the trend request bit, and then Flexible will read and display all the values in one go. And yes all the data will be transferred, but as it is a BOOL array it is not so much, 45 bytes actually.

I think I missed something with my post. This is just for display for setup. When the operator changes the setpoints the trend will need to update not while the machine is running.

I was thinking INT all the way did not even think of BOOL. That would make it smaller. I have not tried trending BOOL's.

I'll do some screen layouts on Monday and see what it looks like.

 

[JesperMP]

When the operator changes the setpoints the trend will need to update not while the machine is running.

You are free to control when the trendrequest bit is set. It can be after a machine cycle has completed, when you go to the screen, when you press a button, at a time of the day or whatever.

I have not tried trending BOOL's.

Just make the x-axis scale MIN=0, MAX=1.

 

[CharlesM]

So I had to go to work. Sometimes its bad when your work is your hobby.

Here is how the old machine looked.

I'll see what I come up with

Something like this

What do you think?

 

[JesperMP]

It looks pretty nice to me.