HELP!!! Using LabView to display/control Mitsubishi FX series PLCs

[pglover]

Hello,

I am a LabView novice and have some questions around using LabView to control and display information from several laboratory instrumentation with a Mitsubishi FX series PLC. The communication protocol for the PLC is Profibus. What LabView modules/products do I need? Will I be using the OPC server and client to communicate to the PLC? Will I be using the device drivers? Is the device drivers the same as the OPC server. Will I need a profibus network card in the PC for Labview to communicate to the PLCs. Once again, I am a novice so please be patience if I ask more questions to understand your response.

[Sarah_Coleman_NIUK]

Hi,

The following thread seems to address a similar query:
http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=170&message.id=27248&requireLogin=False

To answer some of your other questions:
1. You'll be communicating with the Mitsubishi hardware using an OPC server.
2. This isn't the same as the device drivers, though it could be included with the device drivers you got from Mitsubishi, you would have to check that with them.
3. I don't know if you need a profibus network card in your machine, again, you'd have to check that with Mitsubishi

NI do provide OPC software but I'm not sure if your device is supported. Check if it's listed in the following supported device list. If not you should be able to get an OPC server from Mitsubishi. According to the thread linked above they have one that's compatible with LabVIEW.

The software NI provides that can communicate with OPC servers is called the Data Logging and Supervisory Control Module. What LabVIEW software do you currently have?

I would advise that you contact Mitsubishi to make sure you have all the necessary hardware first. Also, ask them about the OPC server software. Then you can work on controlling the PLCs with LabVIEW.

I hope this clarifies things but if not, post some more questions.

Regards,

[pglover]

Sarah,

We have the LabView DSC and Lookout modules. It seems that DSC and Lookout can be used. Is there a preference among the two and advantage/disadvantages for each approach (DSC vs Lookout)?

I really need to figure out the hardware needed on the PC for LabView to communicate over profibus to the PLC. We have over 40 devices with these Mitsubishi PLCs. We plan to have only 8 PCs (5 devices sharing 1 PC). Does anyone has any idea how to connect all of these devices over profibus? Is there a profibus network like an ethernet network...  This is all new to me...........

[Thaison_V]

Hi pglover,

Between LabVIEW DSC module and Lookout, it comes down to the application and preference.  With DSC, you have the functionality of an HMI/SCADA type package integrated into the LabVIEW environment, so you can essentially program any functionality that may not exist already.  This gives you much flexibility in terms of doing custom displays and processing for your data if necessary.  Lookout isn't a programming language per se, but it is based on configuring objects.  Its draw is that you can begin communicating with your devices pretty quickly, but may lack a bit of the flexibility of the programming features that LabVIEW contains.  As for questions about the Profibus hardware, I would also post those questions in the Profibus board here we have Profibus specific engineers that can help answer your questions.  Let us know if you have any specific question on DSC or Lookout though.  Have a great day!

Thaison V
Applications Engineer
National Instruments