Hi,
I absolutely do not know about AB family…but I want to know if it is possible to get data logging back to Ignition with ethernet/IP ?
I’ve seen that this is a feature of the AB 1100 family (http://www.patchn.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=166:allen-bradley-micrologix-1100-data-logging&catid=20:plc&Itemid=118). It could help for some applications.
Thank you.
I have not hooked up an 1100 (yet…have one I need to run a cable to), but I am logging from a bunch of AB SLC’s and it will be mostly the same process for you if you use an 1100. There is a driver for the 1100 in the ignition configuration. You punch in a few details (mainly IP address of 1100) and you will be off and running. You will also want to configure a SQL server in ignition. That done, you just add the tags in your ignition project that you want to log and then enable history for those tags. You would not have to mess with any built-in logging features of the PLC itself.
kwj,
Thank you, but what you describe is almost a realtime configuration. What was interesting with data logging on plc side, is the possibility to use a RTU-like way to have timestamped data at the source and use, as an example, a scheduled transaction group to retrieve data.
We can already do this by programming this behaviour in the plc, but if already done and using a standard plc protocol, why not use it ?
Thanks again
AB has a tech-note in their knowledgebase that has a sample program to extract the datalog from a micrologix 1100 using a compactlogix or controllogix PLC via Ethernet, using a MSG (message) instruction. This would mean it should be possible to sniff the traffic to the micrologix and decipher the handshake used to grab that data from the PLC. You could then write the code in ignition to replicate that handshake. Otherwise, you will have to pull the datalog into a compactlogix or controllogix PLC and then pull it into ignition or stick their proprietary datalog upload tool on your ignition server and somehow automate it.
Personally, I don’t see any way to do it that would be worth the time required, but I don’t know your application. Sorry I can’t be more help.