I would like to know what are the reporting options available with the various standard HMI systems available in market i.e. whether the HMI software supports reporting which can be used in most cases or custom programming is required in VB/VC++ or some separate tools are used? If so, what tools?
Following are the HMIs

SIEMENS WinCC
GE Cimplicity
Intellution IFix
Wonderware Intouch
Allen Bradley RSView
FLS
Genesis
Factory Link

How important and how complex is the reporting part from the client's point of view as well as the developer's point of view?

 

Yours is an in-depth question. IMO, popular SCADA/DCS may employ database object technologies to record, coordinate, and report data. Reporting, or reports may be thought of objects, similar to views, wherein database information is parsed, formatted, and uploaded to an output device such as a monitor or printer.

Some controllers provide middle-ware and OLAP tools (sql,statistic functions,..) as part of the control engine(akin to RDBMS) so the power to create, maintain, and extract data from an archive is built into the package (i.e. National Lookout). Others, like Wonderware, Iconics provide similar tooling as a suite of components for which the developer can specify exact functional requirements.

Most decisions about what functionalitie should be provided are based on license requirements and available project capital for developing a solution which can be interfaced to clients' enterprise planner.

Use of VB/VC++ or other programming tools can be beneficial for integrating various engines into a rational unified model. With advent of OPC along with other de-facto standards, your time is well spent to look for connectivity already built into these packages.

 

In WinCC there are 80 predefined Layouts and 39 predefined print jobs. You can create your own reports or copy and modify the templates. There is not need for VB/VC++ all though you can use VB if you would like. You can also
create your own reports while in runtime. It is as easy as creating a Word or PowerPoint document.

 

Dear 'Anon'

Microsoft Excel -- www.microsoft.com
Sytech XLReporter -- www.thereortcompany.com
Microsoft Access -- www.microsoft.com
Microsoft SQL Server -- www. " "" "" .com
Wonderware Active Factory -- www.wonderware.com
OPS -- www.opssys.com (water/wastewater)

etc,
etc,
etc,

Why write it when you can buy it?

Peace,

JP

 

XLReporter from TheReportCompany.com produce a reporting product that will interface to all the products you mentioned.

Final report are in XLS, PDF or HTML format.

Download available at their web site

Peter (SyTech "TheReportCompany")

 

No need to purchase a third party product for WinCC. All the reporting features you ever want to do are included With WinCC. You can even roll your own with VBA and C-Script. Also there are some option packages you can
purchase for WinCC if you are using WinCC in the FDA environment.

 

I recommend SyTech Reporting.

http://www.thereportcompany.com