Siemens S7 PLC+labview 7.0

[Mize]

Hello,

I

[dswaine]

...

I think I need OPC server/client software but would anybody have more specific information about the subject?

Mize,

You've got a lot of options and aren't necessarily limited to using OPC. A lot may depend on how many euros you have to spend.

A web search (example here) will bring up dozens of OPC servers for Siemens S7 and there are quite a few that make use of the "HMI Adapter" cable

[Mize]

First of all, thank you dswaine for you reply. It provided help.

Since my first post things have evolved to a point where I can give simple boolean orders to the PLC, which then inserts pre-defined attributes to the ACH550-01 motor/frequency converter. The motor runs and there is a OPC server opening the PLC registry to LabVIEW via datasocket connection.

Now I am in a need of advice on how to write hex-values in labVIEW to let say address: PQW 258. I think I need something like slider which converts the values from 0-100 % to 0-4000hex and then writes this value to OPC-address. Would anyone have an example on how to do this?

-Mize

[Mize]

Hello all,

I thought to drop back to report about my success. It was pretty hard to find information about the subject

but with a lot of patience and different approaches I managed to get the damn thing working.

What I used was software toolbox TOP opc-server to open the PLC registry to labview and then it was more

about creating the actual logic program with STEPS7. Used SFC14 ja SFC15-functions and data blocks to bypass

the 4 byte continuous limitation of PLC.

It has been a steep learning curve but I have enjoyed programming with labVIEW.

-Mize

[nistam]

Hello all,

I thought to drop back to report about my success. It was pretty hard to find information about the subject

but with a lot of patience and different approaches I managed to get the damn thing working.

What I used was software toolbox TOP opc-server to open the PLC registry to labview and then it was more

about creating the actual logic program with STEPS7. Used SFC14 ja SFC15-functions and data blocks to bypass

the 4 byte continuous limitation of PLC.

It has been a steep learning curve but I have enjoyed programming with labVIEW.

-Mize

Hello Mize

In my industry, at first we "solved" this problem problem by installing Step7(or Wincc and just declare every tag on a dummy project) on the same computer as labview, or RSLinx if the PLC is Allen Bradley. In every case we need a license from Siemens or AB, something that was out of question, especially for Siemens, because they are TOO expensive, even for a single license. Then we found out about IBHSoftec, which besides the OPC server provides some nice tools and cables, AND S5 for Windows.

Hope i helped.