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Communication from a fieldpoint also acting as a OPC server to a simatic 545 through serial?

Hi...
 
I'm supose to control a breweri, and right now it is controlled by a simatic 545.
Is it possible for fieldpoint and connect directly to the PLC with OPC using serial?
I have the software to run NI's OPC server, but haven't bought a fieldpoint yet.
So i was wondering if this is possible to reuse the I/O oirts of the PLC instead of buying new I/O boards for the fieldpoint, which is very expensive.
 
Thanks..
 
Carsten Toft
Aalborg University Esbjerg, DK
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The easy scenario is to use FieldPoint with the OPC server to provide distributed I/O for your HMI/SCADA application.  The same HMI/SCADA application can communicate via OPC to the Simatic 545 thru serial.  In this scenario, the data move from FieldPoint to Windows XP to Siemens.  For slow processes and current computing technology, this scenario typically works well. 

If you need FieldPoint to communicate directly over serial to the Siemens Simatic, you will need communications support in LabVIEW RT for the Simatic PLC.  Typically what is recommended is to use a Modbus gateway and the LabVIEW RT modbus VIs to communicate Modbus protocol from Fieldpoint to the gateway, and the gateway then communicates over serial to the Simatic. 

here are the modbus vis

http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/201711

here is a reference for gateways

http://www.woodhead.com/products/automation/gateways/

 

Preston Johnson
Solutions Manager, Industrial IoT: Condition Monitoring and Predictive Analytics
cbt
512 431 2371
preston.johnson@cbtechinc
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Thanks Preston for a quick answer.

Just to make sure that i understand.

It is possible to use OPC server when the setup is: Fieldpoint - Windows XP - Siemens PLC.

And to use Modbus when: Fieldpoint - gateway - Siemes PLC.

And it is not possible to go: Fieldpoint - Siemens PLC?

So it is not possible to implement a OPC server into the labview program on the fieldpoint, to communicate directly from the fieldpoint to the PLC?

Just to make sure before any money is spend:)

Carsten Toft
Aalborg University Esbjerg, DK

 

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Toft wrote:

And it is not possible to go: Fieldpoint - Siemens PLC?

So it is not possible to implement a OPC server into the labview program on the fieldpoint, to communicate directly from the fieldpoint to the PLC?



Is this right or is it posiible to connect a fieldpoint directly to a siemens 545 using serial, where the fieldpoint i acting like a OPC server?

Carsten Toft
Aalborg University Esbjerg, DK
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Doesn't anyone now if it is possible to connect directly from fieldpoint to simatic 545-1101 using OPC server on the fieldpoint?

Carsten Toft
Aalborg University Esbjerg, DK
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The challenge with industrial devices running non-windows operating systems, is that OPC is based on Windows extensions such as DCOM.  These do not exist in LabVIEW Real-time, making it very difficult to implement OPC from LabVIEW Real-Time. 

With LabVIEW 8, and with the LabVIEW Modbus interface, we have written a native PLC to PLC like protocol.  We have done Modbus first, and are providing the infrastructure to host more PLC to PLC direct serial implementations.  The infrastructure is there for the end developer to use. 

So for now, the best answer I have (there may be others) is to use a gateway, or to develop the PLC to PLC simatic 545 serial protocol with LabVIEW serial commands. 

Preston Johnson
Solutions Manager, Industrial IoT: Condition Monitoring and Predictive Analytics
cbt
512 431 2371
preston.johnson@cbtechinc
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Thank you for the answer,it answered all my quistions.

Carsten Toft
Aalborg University Esbjerg, DK
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