We use Factory Talk ME to download the application to Panel View Plus HMI panel. So the panel only have the application runs nothing else. Only Run Time License is sufficient after downloading the application into the HMI. In Ignition, I understand without Gateway Server we can't do anything. Just curiosity to know, Is there anything similar Rockwell HMI like in Ignition?
Nope, there's nothing similar for Ignition. Ignition requires Ignition to be installed and then you need to restore a gateway or project, but it's a more involved process than it is for factory talk ME.
See what @nminchin mentioned.
Also, there is a lighter version of Ignition called "Ignition Edge". It is very similar to Ignition but it has features scaled back and is cheaper. While it's not totally comparable it is a similar to "Factory Talk SE" versus "Factory Talk ME".
"Ignition Edge Panel" is probably the closest. It is a single user Ignition setup where both the gateway service and the UI are typically installed on a single machine.
Is "Ignition Edge Panel" own product of Inductive Automation or is it third party company's touch panel?
Here is some more information on Ignition Edge:
Note that, "Ignition Edge Panel" is part of the "Ignition Edge Products" (software).
I'm pretty sure all of the hardware is 3rd party. However, Ignition does provide some resources on some potential 3rd party options at this link:
Note, I think if you spec your hardware out correctly, you should be able to get it to work on other options too.
2 Likes
Very Interesting. Let me explore more on this. Thank You all.
The on PanelViews, you're looking at a computer running either the older Windows CE or Windows 10 IoT with only PanelView ME Runtime, or you could be using a full Windows PC running the runtime, but either way you just load an MER file.
With Ignition Edge, the software changes out to the Ignition Edge software running the gateway (all Ignition systems are "client/server" based even if running Edge on a standalone PC). Then instead of downloading an MER file, you'd take a backup off of a development PC/virtual machine with the same project and configuration and take the GWBK file and restore it to the Edge PC. You'd then restart the client app on that PC (either Vision or Perspective) to reconnect to the application.
That's the closest you'd get to doing it like a PanelView, but the advantage you get with Ignition is you can edit that project directly on the PC using the Designer from either that same PC or with a separate PC connected to the same network as that PC. You can't do that with PanelViews and you don't have to download any GWBK file or anything because your changes are live. Then you can grab a backup after you make your changes and if it's an OEM application, restore that project to your other PCs to make them all match.
2 Likes