Allen Bradley Micrologics 1100 Ethernet OPC

[MikeGranby]

If you mean you're linking to a Red Lion HMI, consider using our own OPC driver -- OPCWorx. It's cheaper than the KEP software, and it allows dieect access to all the tags in the HMI. (This means, by the way, that you can also use it to access data from any PLC connected to the HMI, thereby avoiding the cost of additional OPC drivers.)

 

[INGEARDRIVERS.com]

Look at the INGEAR NET.ABLink as a possible solution for developing a Visual Studio .NET HMI to and Allen-Bradley MicroLogix 1100.

NET.ABLink is a very easy to use and less complicated than using OPC for Visual Studio .NET HMI applications
Video Overview and Tutorial

We have a new project for an Automated Hydroponics. We need filling several tanks with nutrient and water plus schedule irrigation cycles and monitor pump flow; we are using seven Allen Bradley Micrologics 1100 to monitor and control.

We must design a custom HMI using the new Visual Basic 2005 communicating with all PLC in the seven Greenhouses; all devices connected to an Ethernet switch.


Could someone let us know of an Ethernet OPC that will connect the HMI to these PLCs. We are looking for a good compatibility with the new Visual Basic 2005.

Thanks

 

[SAH]

Boy, I just shiver at the thought of using custom apps written in VB.NET or any other language in a one off situation. Who's going to support it after the original developers leave?

Been down that road a few too many times. The cost savings is alluring, until five years from now when the process is down and nobody's there to support it. I get called often to bail people out of this situation. A lot of the time the original source code is no longer available or the development environment is no longer available.

That's my two cents worth.

 

[tom_stalcup]

Heh.. I'll have to refer back to this thread if I ever need to do something along these lines.


But since the OP's last statement was in march sometime, hopefully by now he's got something going...

 

[piscis]

SAH:

“Who's going to support it after the original developers leave?”

How about more than 4 millions VB programmers?

“Five years from now when the process is down and nobody's there to support it?

Visual Basic has been in business longer than any other PLC manufacturer, plus the same thing will happens if you installed a project with X PLC brand and then that company goes down the tube or decide not to support that PLC anymore.

I’m a PLC programmer first and VB second, but I realized that whether I like it or not I must make a huge effort to get to know how to program PC based automation and control applications. This way I feel my toolbox is more equipped.

 

[SAH]

Sorry, didn't mean to offend the VB programmer in you. It's not that you can't do everything under the sun in VB. You can. But again, unless it's a generalized solution, it may be great for the programmer, but not so great for the end-user.

This is just my opinion but it's based on 20 years in the business. I feel sorry for the end-users who call me because their sortation system or whatever goes down and they are losing thousands of $$$ per hour.

Usually it plays out like this... The 10 year old PC some custom app was running on takes a dump. They call us. We ask for the source code. They say "the what???" I'm sorry. This happens too often to be funny.

Most people in this situation don't even know the time bomb they're sitting on until it blows up. As far as the generalized solutions go, I agree to a certain extent. We have run into systems that are old and have to be upgraded, but usually there is some sort of migration path. As far as reputable vendors disappearing goes, in my experience there have only been a few. But "one off" apps like VB... There have been many.

 

[CroCop]

Why people don't keep the .Exe file so they can easily put it on the next computer they dump in is beyond me.

I've got to laugh my guts out since only in PLC land is VB considered a one off app..........

 

[SAH]

PLC land is a very special place, with special requirements like online programming and the ability to debug a running process. Compiled languages need not apply.

 

[CroCop]

PLC land is a very special place, with special requirements like online programming and the ability to debug a running process. Compiled languages need not apply.

Not all PLCs program online, and MOST HMIs don't either.
While I wouldn't use VB in place of the PLC, I love using VB for communicating to a PLC.

 

[SAH]

I do understand about VB programming - very fun, very powerful.

Yes, PLCs that don't support online programming do exist. I never install them and when I find them in the field I strongly encourage changing them out. My big wake up call occured many years ago when I installed one that didn't support online programming "to save money." Right.

I also agree about most HMIs, but you should checkout the site at Inductive Automation. That HMI does support online programming.