Is it possible to access PLC memory as shown with the Ignition PLC drivers installed on the server?
Generally, no. Ignition native drivers make direct connections to their PLCs. If those HMI devices are operating as routers, maybe as NAT routers, that might make a direct connection possible.
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The Omron PLCs, yes.
The other ones either need to be directly reachable/routable or you will need an Ignition or other OPC UA server on the Panel PC.
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Would individual drivers need to be purchased, one for each panel PC connected to a PLC?
I think the drivers and OPC UA module are all included with the platform, but there's some base price for each platform license? You can look at the website to figure that out.
But yes, each panel PC would need its own Ignition + OPC UA server + driver, unless your network setup allows otherwise.
If I couldn't get the HMI to route, I'd put a cheap NAT router in each box.
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This is what we do for a bunch of our machines. We have a lot of older machines that were never intended to be connected to network so we use NAT routers to avoid IP conflicts and allow them to talk to Ignition
Skorpian EIPR and Antaira's LRX-0200 are some good low cost options
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Not bad choices, particularly for plug-and-play duty. I'd probably roll my own on top of Moxa's UC-2111. Somewhat cheaper, and you can customize as you please.
Could I just use something likeAMS-2111 with the PLCs and get them on the network wirelessly? The issue is some of these PLCs are in movable pieces of equipment.
Can those do reverse NAT routing? For example, if I want a device on the WAN side of the router to have a LAN side static address can it do that along with the normal NAT? We have some interesting™ device/machine configurations and were looking for a NAT router than can do NAT in both directions.
As long as your PLC IPs are all unique and are on the same subnet as your network you should be fine. We have some PLCs in mobile carts where we use a wireless bridge device from Phoenix Contact and we are able to talk to those from ignition.
It's a generic Linux box running Debian 9. Its kernel has full Iptable/Xtables support. So, yes. It can do pretty much any NAT you can think up, in either direction, all simultaneous.
Very strange design. why don't you connect PLCs directly to the Ignition Server? Then HMI PC all connect to the server.
If you want every Panel PC HMI act like local data collector, then you by edge license for each of them then sync all Panel PC to Ignition Server.
Ignition website explains the deign of edge gateway syncing to server.
If you have Edge Panel License + many different small features, such as data syncing; your panel pc can communicate with PLC on one subnet, and the Ignition Server on different subnet.
Did you notice the Wi-Fi links? Only the PCs are connected to Wi-Fi via (presumably) their wireless adaptors.
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A unmanaged switch is so cheap, why do they want to save this kind of money?
If a switch allow Ignition server connects to PLC directly, even in the Panel PC refused to work, you can still run ignition as long as the server is still running.
It does not even mater if it is vision or perspective, you can still run it on any pc.
It is not uncommon to have multiple identical machines in a plant that have identical IP addresses on a private PLC network. You need to perform pinhole NAT with such situations. A layer 2 switch is insufficient.
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the topology shows a very un-reliable system
But that's not the topic. See the question title.
He/She is looking for a solution, don't be trapped by the question itself.
It technical world, this happens very often, when somebody asked a question, somebody else might find the question itself is the issue.
This is a terrible idea ... In a pinch (!), you could use Windows Internet Connection Sharing. You'd have to configure it manually and you'll need two NICs.