Cheap HPI?

[Chinook82]

Looking to have central indication of level points as measuremed by 3 Siemens/Milltronics LU10's (28 levels all together). It has AB remote I/O, PROFIBUS DP, Modbus RTU, and Devicenet capabilities. All I really need is central indication of all the level points, but do have a Windows network available as well. What's my simplest way to go?

 

[danw2]

You need some hardware to display the values - an HMI.

That could be an HMI panel or a Windows PC running HMI software.

Most of the 3rd party HMI panels include a Modbus master. To use one would require - daisy chaining (wiring) the LU10's SmartLinx cards for RS-485 (I'm not sure whether the Smartlinx has a Modbus TCP-ethernet option)
- programming the HMI to poll the points and display the values. Not a terribly difficult effort.

To use a Windows PC requires an HMI software package. The HMI package could be vendor specific for the Profibus protocol or the A-B protocols or a 3rd party generic (Wonderware, Iconics, Intellution, Citect) using Modbus. Same programming task: poll the points and display the values.

I don't know whether A-B's RIO or Devicenet protocols are supported directly from A-Bs panels or not, but an A-B distributor could tell you what your options are.

Dan