Using OPC server and WW intouch driver simultaneously

H

Thread Starter

havelld

Contemplating using an OPC client HMI, along with existing WonderWare (WW) HMI, to communicate with a PLC. Is it possible to have 2 different drivers (OPC server and WW InTouch) on the same communication bus (ethernet) and talking to the same PLC (AB PLC 5)?

Not being a WW expert, I am not sure how the InTouch driver works. But I do know that I want to hang an additional HMI station onto the PLC communication network. I want it to be an OPC server, like RSLinx Gateway, and I want to be able to build a small HMI using OPC.

With one machine already running WW InTouch that the customer doesn't want to fiddle with, can I add an OPC server? In other words, can 2 drivers communicate simultaneously with 1 plc?

(At least I believe that is the question. If anyone can give me a bit of direction here I would appreciate it.)
 
Yes you can, I ever try this and no problem resulted. In my case, Wonderware Intouch 7.1 communicate with Modicon Quantum 434 using Modbus TCP /IP. Intouch connected to PLC simulataneously through InGear Modbus OPC Server and and wonderware MBENET IO server. So I created 2 topic name with different application but refer to same PLC.

Hope this helps.
 
Yes ...on Ethernet PLC can talk to 2 different guys ...let them be anything (an OPC server and 1 WW Client or something else).

The concepts of PORT (socket) comes into picture here and on Ethernet the PLC creates 2 or more ports (or some PLCs need that you create ports writing ladder or configuring in the PLC for 2 ports) and uses them to talk to 2 different drivers.I am not sure how AB PLCs do that but
all the other majors do support 8 or 16 or 32 such drivers at a time talking to a PLC.
 
Thanks for all the help folks, I really appreciate it. One last question:

If I want to put a server machine (PC) between the PLC and the HMI, how much change would be involved in the WW HMI? I intend to leave the driver the same InTouch, but perhaps I need to redirect it somehow?

I just don't want to go down a road that leads me to major overhaul of a tag database or major reconstruction of the WW properties.

Thanks again,

David
 
T

Trevor Ousey \(lists\)

We have a couple of nodes like this where the IO Server is in a separate PC to Intouch, and with using Wonderware IO Server they use SuiteLink for comms to InTouch which is an easier and more reliable way to go.

By moving the IO Server to a remote PC/Server you just need to add the node name of the server PC in the access name, then those tags using that access name will be directed to the IO server on that node.

Regards,
Trevor
 
Kepware OPC servers support Wonderware's Suitelink and Window's NetDDE interprocess communication APIs directly. You DO have to turn those on though. You can shorten the 'Access Names' with aliases.
 
Top