C
It used to be a simple task to decide when a small and simple LabView solution with SCXI or other National Instruments hardware would be
best or when a PLC/SCADA solution was needed. I used to use the analogy of "If you want a word processor, you could buy one with all the
functionality built-in (the SCADA with PLC solution) or you can buy a programming language and build the functionality (the LabView
solution). I also used to ask customers if they could tolerate the computer hanging up from time to time and that would make the decision
for them to go with a computer control or PLC approach.
Now it seems as if the boundaries between the two are not as clear. National Instruments has its Real Time processors for PXI and FieldPoint. It also has the LabView Datalogging and Supervisory Control Module add-on that brings some SCADA functionality to LabView (no longer need to build it up).
I prefer my PLC. I loved the "Why I love my (P)athetic (L)ittle (C)omputer" post in a previous thread and taped it up on my office door. But I fear I am losing my arguments against the LabView users at work. What is left to defend my PLC? Our applications are usually small bench to pilot scale processes with less than a 1000 I/O points. Some, but not all processes have some safety significance due to the materials we process.
Does anyone else have experience with both PLC/SCADA and LabView and have some advise to lend?
Thanks,
Chip Hinde
Los Alamos National Laboratory
best or when a PLC/SCADA solution was needed. I used to use the analogy of "If you want a word processor, you could buy one with all the
functionality built-in (the SCADA with PLC solution) or you can buy a programming language and build the functionality (the LabView
solution). I also used to ask customers if they could tolerate the computer hanging up from time to time and that would make the decision
for them to go with a computer control or PLC approach.
Now it seems as if the boundaries between the two are not as clear. National Instruments has its Real Time processors for PXI and FieldPoint. It also has the LabView Datalogging and Supervisory Control Module add-on that brings some SCADA functionality to LabView (no longer need to build it up).
I prefer my PLC. I loved the "Why I love my (P)athetic (L)ittle (C)omputer" post in a previous thread and taped it up on my office door. But I fear I am losing my arguments against the LabView users at work. What is left to defend my PLC? Our applications are usually small bench to pilot scale processes with less than a 1000 I/O points. Some, but not all processes have some safety significance due to the materials we process.
Does anyone else have experience with both PLC/SCADA and LabView and have some advise to lend?
Thanks,
Chip Hinde
Los Alamos National Laboratory