I am going to have a project that build a good user interface from a NT machine to monitor the behavior of AB PLC.

But I don't know if I need to buy an OPC Server or an ActiveX Control from Cimquest?

Do I need to buy any IO card?

Anywhere I can find out any programming example to reference?

Thanks a lot !

 

Hey,
I have been doing the same research you have. I am a Purdue University student and in our lab we have a 6 cell flexible manufactuing system built upon AB hardware. myself and the rest of the students were have troubles with DDE and Advanced DDE, so I started looking into OPC.
as you probaply know RSLinx is an OPC server, but finding info on programming to interface with it is not the most simplest of tasks.
I fould info on www.support.rockwell.com under the knowledgebase I searced for RSlinx OPC and found the following help topic...A1379. This contained a sample VB project that solved everything for me.
We were considering purchasing a control from vbLogic, but decided against it since we can now code our own client.
I have built a test client that polls all 6 of our PLC's and reads about 100 bits per PLC. using a DH+ bandwith monitor we are not even coming close to maxing out DH+. as with DDE we could bring DH+ to its knees with only 3 PLC's being read.
Follow the links and make your own decision based on your needs.

I hope this helped, and good luck.
James Betsinger
CIMT Purdue University
[email protected]