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I've got a customer who wants us to look at changing the control structure of a small line, and I can't readily find answers to some of my questions.
The potential plan is this. Use a single node with Steeplechase VLC to control the line. This part is straightforward and easy enough to do.
The Steeplechase package comes with a Ci-tect HMI which can be used for the control node. This part is also easy enough to do.
The next part is where I don't have a ready answer. Can we use a VB application on 4 operators nodes as slave HMI's rather than purchase additional Ci-tect licenses? The HMI configurations for those stations is extremely simple, and the VB development costs would be less than half of just the license cost for the HIM runtimes.
My questions are whether the Ci-tect package which is included in Steeplechase is a full-blown package or restricted package? Can that node serve as an OPC server to remote VB clients? I don't know if either Steeplechase or Ci-tect can act as an OPC server. (It's been several years since I've worked with either one, and I know they have to have moved along.) If neither the Ci-tect nor the Steeplechase instance can serve as an OPC server is there a third party OPC server which could run on the control node and handle the clients? If OPC won't work, would something older like DDE work with Ci-tect. (I can't imagine the Steeplechase VLC can support DDE.)
Has anyone ever tried something like this? I know this sounds complicated for what I describe as a "simple" line, but that's what I've been asked to produce.
Thanks in advance,
Michael
--
Michael R. Batchelor - Industrial Informatics & Instrumentation, Inc.
Linux is like a wigwam...
No windows, no gates.
Apache inside.
The potential plan is this. Use a single node with Steeplechase VLC to control the line. This part is straightforward and easy enough to do.
The Steeplechase package comes with a Ci-tect HMI which can be used for the control node. This part is also easy enough to do.
The next part is where I don't have a ready answer. Can we use a VB application on 4 operators nodes as slave HMI's rather than purchase additional Ci-tect licenses? The HMI configurations for those stations is extremely simple, and the VB development costs would be less than half of just the license cost for the HIM runtimes.
My questions are whether the Ci-tect package which is included in Steeplechase is a full-blown package or restricted package? Can that node serve as an OPC server to remote VB clients? I don't know if either Steeplechase or Ci-tect can act as an OPC server. (It's been several years since I've worked with either one, and I know they have to have moved along.) If neither the Ci-tect nor the Steeplechase instance can serve as an OPC server is there a third party OPC server which could run on the control node and handle the clients? If OPC won't work, would something older like DDE work with Ci-tect. (I can't imagine the Steeplechase VLC can support DDE.)
Has anyone ever tried something like this? I know this sounds complicated for what I describe as a "simple" line, but that's what I've been asked to produce.
Thanks in advance,
Michael
--
Michael R. Batchelor - Industrial Informatics & Instrumentation, Inc.
Linux is like a wigwam...
No windows, no gates.
Apache inside.