What should I use to access Allen Bradley (Logix PLC) data from a PC?
RSLinx SDK, Ingear, Automated Solutions...?
.NET Access To Logix
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NowanH
- Posts: 80
- Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2014 6:16 pm
Re: .NET Access To Logix
The answer depends of what you want to do.
For quick testing, I use RsLinx Classic as an DDE server and Microsoft Excel or OPenOffice Calc as clients (this programs have embedded function to read DDE servers). For example, during any project's commissioning I use a spreadsheet with the I/O matrix linked to the PLC via DDE.
In the past, I wrote some little applications In VBnet using any COM wrapper provided by OPC Foundation; just now I think there is an OPC library designed for .Net (OpcNetApi.dll). I wrote those applications only for testing purposes, not to give them to a customer (in fact I also tested applications written in Python using PyOPC).
For more professional products, I think it's better go directly to the solutions you mentioned.
For quick testing, I use RsLinx Classic as an DDE server and Microsoft Excel or OPenOffice Calc as clients (this programs have embedded function to read DDE servers). For example, during any project's commissioning I use a spreadsheet with the I/O matrix linked to the PLC via DDE.
In the past, I wrote some little applications In VBnet using any COM wrapper provided by OPC Foundation; just now I think there is an OPC library designed for .Net (OpcNetApi.dll). I wrote those applications only for testing purposes, not to give them to a customer (in fact I also tested applications written in Python using PyOPC).
For more professional products, I think it's better go directly to the solutions you mentioned.
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99bobster99
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2012 4:08 pm
Re: .NET Access To Logix
I have used RSLinx Gateway before passing data to Excel over that DDE link. It worked nicely for general data collection from the AB PLCs. I'm looking at developing something like what you mentioned, create a .NET application the exchanges data with AB PLCs over Ethernet using OPC. I am a newbie at this but willing to learn from people like yourself.
I'm not even sure OPC is the most efficient way to go here, are there any other better options for exchanging data more efficiently with all the AB, Siemens, Omron, etc PLCs? Is there a common communication language that all flavors would utilize? And most importantly, do they support .NET programming?
I'm not even sure OPC is the most efficient way to go here, are there any other better options for exchanging data more efficiently with all the AB, Siemens, Omron, etc PLCs? Is there a common communication language that all flavors would utilize? And most importantly, do they support .NET programming?
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NowanH
- Posts: 80
- Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2014 6:16 pm
Re: .NET Access To Logix
As far as I know OPC is the communication standard you are looking for. I recommend you this document:99bobster99 wrote:I'm not even sure OPC is the most efficient way to go here, are there any other better options for exchanging data more efficiently with all the AB, Siemens, Omron, etc PLCs? Is there a common communication language that all flavors would utilize? And most importantly, do they support .NET programming?
http://www.automation.com/pdf_articles/Guide_to_OPC.pdf
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Arj3090
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2013 5:46 pm
Re: .NET Access To Logix
Try AdvancedHMI. It includes a driver for ControlLogix