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Entries for the 'PLC' Category

Siemens WinCC Sm@rtServer Set-Up

As of TIA Portal V14, the built-in remote access utility called WinCC Sm@rtServer is now available to Basic Panels and no longer requires a separate license for Comfort Panels. This means that if you have a Comfort Panel-running device (version 14.0....


Custom Data Logging from a Siemens PLC to Microsoft SQL Using VBScript

DMC worked on a project where we wanted to log data to a local Microsoft SQL server to be able to save and display it using Microsoft Report Designer. However, the standard format of Siemens’ data log did not match up with the schema ...


Automation with an Arduino, PLC, or Custom Embedded Controls?

Automation and control come in a lot of different varieties and flavors. On the surface, Arduinos, PLCs, and embedded controls all appear to do the same function. So how do you determine which is best for your application? In this post, I’ll...


Tips for a Successful Synchronous Serial Communication Driver using Siemens SCL

Modern industrial communication is often performed over Ethernet protocols, especially within the Siemens product ecosystem. However, some external devices (especially non-Siemens devices) communicate using serial protocols. Luckily, Siemens provides...


Setting Up a New Allen-Bradley PLC and HMI: Tips and Tricks

In this blog, I’ll walk you through the basic commissioning steps to get a brand-new Allen-Bradley PLC and HMI up and running. All the information covered here is also available in Rockwell’s help documentation, but I tried to distill out...


How To Disassemble and Fix a Fried S7-1200 PLC

Don’t you hate it when your coworker inadvertently wires up a 24V PLC to wall power and lets out the magic smoke? Just such a mishap happened in our lab a while back and the broken PLC was sitting around in the junk bin for a while. Figuri...


Using Digital Inputs and Command Data Set 1 to Control a Siemens G120 CU240

I was recently on site with a client to commission a Siemens G120 VFD. This particular VFD was being used to drive a blower motor and inflate an airbag. The client required hard-wired manual control of the motor, in addition to controlling it from th...


DMC Writes a Custom MQTT Driver for Siemens PLCs

DMC has found that more of our customers need their PLCs in remote locations to be able to not only report data to a central server but also be capable of accepting commands from the central server. If this sounds a lot like the Internet of T...


Importing CSV Recipe Files into Siemens HMI and Iteratively Downloading Multiple Data Records from HMI into PLC

Similar parts in production can be processed with small changes by a machine using part data to define variables for each part or set of parts. For example, a machine may need to produce 30 widgets at 90º angle, 20 mm length then ...


Siemens PLC to Sick IO-Link Sensor Through Beckhoff Coupler

Working at a client site alongside Andrew Neill, we came across an unusual integration scenario. The machine we were providing commissioning support for was equipped with a Siemens 1518 safety controller and had numerous Siemens and Beckhoff com...


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