Communicating with PLC

[Former Member]

Hi,

We are tying to communicate Siemens Simatic S7 PLC.

We installed OPC Core Component 3.0 SDK and XMIIUDS40sp2

PLC has connected same network and has an IP adress.

We tryed to define XMII OPC-DA UDS , when it clicked browse button of OPC Server, it does not get PLC IP in list.

Therefore we could not select and use it.

If we write it's IP manually, result is the same, no connection to PLC?

Is there anybody experienced with MII <-> PLC integration?

Thanks.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Cemil,

Siemens Simatic S7 is OPC is avaialble.

If you have OPC server installed in a PC then you can connect to MII using UDS4.0

If OPC server is not configured,then you have to get the S7 drivers and install that.Make it availbale through SCADA if further.

Once OPC server is configured ,through OPC DA or OPC HDA of UDS4.0 you can connect.

-Suresh

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Suresh,

must OPC installed PC same with UDS4.0 server?

Thanks.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Cemil,

UDS 4.0 is not a server,it is interface which can connect to any OPC enabled devices so that you can fetch the plant data(TAGS) in real time or historical data. You can install this in OPC server/OPC Client Machine/MII Server. If any OPC server is available in your network, just configure the UDS by providing IP address of(OPC server/OPC Client Machine),port number, Username and password(if authentecation needed) through OPC DA or OPC HDA facility.

-Suresh

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Suresh,

Is it possible to list running OPC servers along with the network?

Thanks.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Cemil,

If OPC server is installed, then only it is avaialbe UDS4.0, otherwise it won't.For more info on OPC do contact your Plant Automation experts. They will guide you.

-Suresh

Edited by: Suresh Hiremath on Aug 11, 2009 2:11 PM

[jcgood25 · Accepted solution]

Cemil - have you looked at the OPC Server property for configuring the connection? At a minimum you need to know the physical machine name that is running an OPC Server (like KepWare, Matrikon, WinCC, RSLinx, etc.), and from there the OPCEnum used by the dialog box should allow you to browse the ProgID's on that particular server.

In essence you have to consider the MII OPC UDS to be an OPC Client that 'serves' the MII webserver with information, so it fundamentally requires the OPC Server software to be in place with the device specific connection(s).

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Jeremy,

I studied UDS40SP02 installation document.

It says: "OPC Core Component 2.00/3.00 SDK" must be installed.

I download it from www.opcfoundation.org and i installed.

It says another thing: That is "An OPC server that is compliant with version 2.05a or 3.0 of the OPC DA

specifications" (Page:8 Prerequisites)

What means the second thing?

Does It mean, i have to install OPC Server compliant with version 2.05a/3.0 of the OPC DA to the UDS machine?

Thanks.

[jcgood25 · Accepted solution]

The UDS 4.0 OPC-DA is NOT an OPC Server, it is a client application that the MII webserver uses to communicate to the OPC compliant systems/devices. You will either need one from Siemens or a third party vendor like Matrikon, KepWare, etc.

http://www.automation.siemens.com/net/html_76/produkte/040_snmp.htm

http://www.matrikonopc.com/opc-drivers/309/base-driver-details.aspx?gclid=CIHGqu3xnpwCFVlM5QodRkcJeg

http://www.kepware.com/Products/Siemens_Suite.html (in the 3D picture on this webste the KEPServerEX is the OPC Server, and the OPC Client application is the SAP MII OPC UDS).

The opc foundation dlls you needed are not distributed during the UDS installation. Think of this prerequisite as the necessary API for OPC.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Jeremy,

Yes we need an OPC server that UDS communicate with it. At UDS side do we need an API to connect to OPC server?

If we need an API, where can a find it?

Thanks.

[jcgood25 · Accepted solution]

The "OPC Core Component 2.00/3.00 SDK" that you already installed is the necessary API (SDK). As with all of the UDS, the install does not distribute the vendor or organizational level components, API or SDK.

[Former Member]

Cemil,

Coming from an automation background here. I've also done several PLC to MII applications.

First of all. I would verify that your OPC server is working correctly. To do this, install an OPC test client on your machine. I would recommend OPC Explorer from Matrikon,(www.matrikon.com, search for "OPC explorer") its good and its free, and also has a simulation OPC server you can test with. A test OPC client is vital in troubleshooting OPC issues. You need to install this client on the same machine as you have your Simatic software installed. Now personally I have never use OPC to talk to Siemens, my experience talking to PLCs using MII has been with Rockwell, Modicon, and Mitsubishi, but I'm sure Siemens OPC server isn't much different. I have interfaced with Siemens PLCs with other software (HMI / SCADA's)

Remember your architecture. PLC -> |OPC Server -> OPC-UDS| -> |MII server|.

If the Siemens OPC driver doens't work for you, as Jeremy pointed out, I would highly recommend using Kepware's OPC server for Siemens S7's OPC is not always easy, there are several setting you have to by mindful off to make sure you are getting the right data. Read your OPC server documentation carefully. Still, it beats writing your own custom driver.

[Former Member]

Hi Doug,

OPC servers give access denied message.

What could be the reason of access denied?

UDS Admin Console --> Add UDS instance

OPC Server field (Browse)--> OPC Server Browser

Machine Name : IP of OPC Server <Enter> ---> Access Denied

Thanks.

[Former Member]

Cemil,

If OPC server is a remote access you have to check the below things:

1) Is that OPC server/Client requires authentication

2) Firewall in between the machines and you have add the DCOM details in firewall settings

3) Any antivirus is preventing the connection

4) Port number assigned will be used by some other application.

Go through the below link:

http://www.matrikonopc.com/training/opc-demo-tutorial.pdf

Also check the error message details below location:

Control Panel->Administrative Tools>Event viewer---->Click Application.If posible try to post the error mesage

And also Check UDS log file

-Suresh

Edited by: Suresh Hiremath on Aug 14, 2009 11:31 AM