Collecting data in S7-300

[Joost]

Hi, Can some one tell me what the best way is to handling the following problem: I want to collect data from a machine such as: pressure, temperature etc. This data must stored in a database so I can export the data into a spreadsheet such like Excel. Can anybody help me? Greetings

[PdL]

Hi Joost, You might want to look at using an OPC server on a PC to retrieve the data over ethernet, perhaps you already have an ethernet unit on the CPU. You could then exchange the data to Excel through DDE for example. There are numerous OPC servers available, I have good experience with Kepware. Have a look at their Siemens S7 200/300/400 TCP/IP Ethernet OPC Server. It even supports MPI comms through an MPI/Ethernet converter, see "Netlink".

[Joost]

Thanks for the reaction. The machine is a stand alone machine. So I want to store the data in the PLC and then Export the data when I plug my laptop in. Is storing the data in an array an option? Hopefully U have more answers. Greetings Joost

[PdL]

Still it would be possible to have an OPC server on your laptop and incidental running it to retrieve the data but this is probably not so cost effective in your case.. Perhaps something like this is what you're looking for ?

[Joost]

yes, that solves the problem to export the data. Also you could save the file as *.csv and import that file in Excel. But no I still have the problem, how to collect the data and store this data into the PLC. I'am no trying to solve this with array's. But maybe there is a better way. Greetings Joost

[PdL]

I guess that you would have to create a DataBlock with defined memory areas you want to store, but I don't know in detail how to do this.