Industrial Questions.

m_fabio2

I have a question for all those people in industry. I'm not sure if anyone can help me or not. I'm utilizing a SCADA HMI program and I need to manipulate some pictures in VB, very similair if not the same as those located on this page :

http://www.softwaretoolbox.com/gadgetwizards/index.html


If any one has any idea where I would start, books, net, information I'd appreciate it.


Second,

I find myself in the need for more education, particualarly on Control Systems. I took some control system in college, and a handfull of courses in Grad school. Does any one know of any good books to help me get over a few bumps in the road ? Particularly with MATLAB, and Control Systems ?
Thanks.
·

kb2hap

is it a straight VB program, RSView or Wonderware? I don't have much experience with wonderware but I am very experienced with RSView, and I also do some VB. If you could be more specific on what your looking for I could point you in the right direction. Are you looking for PLC controlled systems or just controls in general?

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
DTQ

m_fabio2

I'm working with the Intellution Ifix PLC control package. I know they make plug-ins for all kinds of PLC's.
·

Mel

Do you want information about learning to program in VB or do you already know VB and just want to get up to speed on control systems and VB.· What kind of PLC’s are you communicating with?
·
If you already have what you need to connect up to the PLC.· The easy way to do what you want to do, would be to get a third party ActiveX controls library.· These provide you with all the graphics and properties to easily insert the controls into your program.· They are easy to use and work just like the native controls in VB.· They can be expensive and some people tend to get carried away with them and populate the screen with all kinds of graphics that clutter the screen and add little function to the program.·
·
Isn’t it interesting that when most stuff was analog everybody wanted digital readouts and now that most things are digital we want graphics that simulate analog.
·
You could also just make your own simple graphics and change the properties based on logic in the program at run time.·
·
On the simplest level, to add an indicator light make a circle by selecting SHAPE on your toolbox menu in VB.· Drag it to where you want it and size it according.· The code would look like this to turn the “Light” off and on
··
If· Strobe = 1 Then
···· shpStrobeLight.BackColor = &H0000FF00&··· ‘Background color green if Strobe = 1
Else
···· shpStrobeLight.BackColor = &H000000FF&··· ‘Otherwise Background color Red
End If
·
You can get fancier by having multiple graphic files such as two selector switches.· One in the left hand and one in the right hand position and display one of them based on some variable in the program.· This is closer to doing something like the link you provided.·
·
I also use the LINE graphic to display conveyors on the screen and change the color property to indicate if it is running.· Green line conveyor ON --- Red line conveyor stopped.· You can use sound (.wav) files so sound bells, whistles, sirens or even voice messages based on an alarm or any criteria you decide.· Text boxes can contain information about number of parts run, averages, downtime etc.· We also use the same VB program to log all data on the hard drive for reports, and to a page on the Internet.· There is also a series of LED signs located through out the plant on a rs485 network that are updated in real time with current production information.· The only limit is your imagination.
·
Attached is a screen shot of a simple display of one area of the plant.· The lines are conveyors, each text box is a machine or transfer point with current production numbers displayed.· It is a work in progress.· It is not fancy just functional.
·
Regards
Mel