Can Labview v7.0 talk to a Micrologix 1100 PLC via Lookout Protocol Drivers OPC Server v4.5?

[VoltVision]

Micrologix 1100 <-> Lookout Protocol Drivers v4.5 <-> Labview v7.0

Hello all,

I am helping a local company to use their existing seat of Labview v7.0 to talk over Ethernet with a new Micrologix 1100 PLC.  We were hoping to use their existing OPC server that came with Labview (circa 2000) so that they do not have to purchase a new OPC server.  Their Labview package is the "NI Developer Suite Professional v7.0 Control Edition" which comes with a "DSC Module" which contains an OPC server called "Lookout Protocol Drivers OPC Server v4.5 (build7)".  This software came out several years before the Micrologix 1100 was born, but OPC is supposed to be a cross-platform, cross-generation standard isnt it?

So, when I set-up the OPC server, it asks me which type of PLC I have and the only choices are AB_Logix (Micrologix 1500), AB_PLC2, AB_PLC5 (15 different flavors), and AB_SLC500 (5 different flavors).  Can I use one of these that might be similar to the ML1100?  I definitely want to use ethernet, not serial.

My application is just reading and writing a couple of variables from/to the Binary, Integer and Float data storage locations approx once per second.

Does anyone see a problem doing this without having to upgrade the OPC server to something that "officially supports" the ML1100 (Like Kepware)?

Thank you very much!!

frenchy

[Brinoceros]

Hi Frency,

 You can always just try the 1500 and cross your fingers!  We could try to speculate on the forum, but a quick test would certainly be a better use of time.  However, I do recommend that if you can upgrade the OPC server to one that supports the 1100 driver you should do so.  Kepware and NI-OPC Servers both support this device.

Cheers, 

[VoltVision]

Brian,

Thank you very much for your reply.  I did try a handful of the old PLCs hoping to get it working.  Being the newbie that I am with all of this, however, I wasnt sure if my errors were from the OPC server side or from bad addressing, etc.  I think I will try using Kepware's demo and then once I get things working with that, I will be better positioned to make an intelligent decision.  Thank you very much!!

respectully,

frenchy