PLCs and databases?
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Re: PLCs and databases?
Re: PLCs and databases? -- ConanTheLibrarian	Post Reply	Top of thread	Forum

Posted by: WhoaMan ® ConanTheLibrarian 10/30/2003, 12:53:14 Author Profile Mail author Edit

From your query I'm assuming that you're looking for a non-polling product where the PLC has actual control over the database instead of the PC doing database stuff like with RSSql. While it's true that PLCs do controls and don't do database stuff you CAN set up something where the PLC can somehow interact with the PC (with the database) either with modbus or whatever protocol there is out there.  I don't know what PLC you're using but one example of this is dataworx plc pro that works with AutomationDirect PLCs.  You'd do some ladder logic programming to send network commands over TCP/IP, I believe, to dataworx and it would do your database stuff for you. I hope that helps and if I'm wrong correct me. Phil <removed url>  Modified by Administrator at Thu, Oct 30, 2003, 13:59:13

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PLCs and DB
Re: PLCs and databases? -- ConanTheLibrarian	Post Reply	Top of thread	Forum

Posted by: RKimball ® 10/27/2003, 22:38:45 Author Profile Mail author Edit

Conan, First realize that PLC's are used to control machinery, lines, boxing, folding, and about any other thing that is a repeated and decisive/productive proceedure. In programming a PLC you can not only program them to count, and do "and", "nor", "exclusive" and other machine operation logic you can use the latest PLCs to report back to a computer how many times a cycle was performed. You can have them report on quantity of products passing, say an electric eye, or a culling shoot. They could compare raw material off a coil to the quantity of finished product each using a known percise amount of coil and thus via a data base calulate the wasted material. I'd approach the assignment as using a PLC to feed data to an MS Excel sheet that caliculates data on waste, time per product, quality, volume or any of thousands of other possible combinations. Many current logic units, CAD programs, and counters currently use an MS Excel sheet they create in a coupled computer to handle data with their proprietary software. Some PLCs even contain their own CPUs and data memory chips to hold data until ask to download. You can pick almost any production scenario to use as an excellent model, and use your imagination to figure ways to improve the process and information collection process to better inform the management staff with PLCs and a data base. I hope that helps to give you a shot in the arm. -randy- ** The worst suggestion of your lifetime may be the catalyst to the grandest idea of the century, don't fail to listen to suggestions. -randy-

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