Monitoring PLC networks using LabView

[B4S3M]

Is it possible to monitor S7-300 network of PLC's using LV ? if yes can anyone link me to the know-how?

[EricC.]

Of course it is possible

You have a lot of way to do this

1) Use a OPC server

It is teh more expensive solution, but the easier to make

2) use Modbus

The S7 is compatible with ModBus serial and TCP/IP

It is free but more complexe to make

you can use the consol connector with a adaptation.

I am not the PLC programmer but i think you have nothing to do in the S7.

The word 123 the read at modbus register 123 !!

But warning, the word are U8 and modbus use U16. So when you read n value you must be carfully when you extract values from the array.

The S7 is the same as the S37 so the connection is

PLC SIDE     -          PC SIDE (RS422)

1 - 1

7 - 5

3 - 5

2 - 2

or in RS485

PLC SIDE     -          PC SIDE (RS485)

1 - 8

2 - 3

5 - 1

[B4S3M]

Does that mean, i can upload VI's to the PLC, if yes, please link me to any videos or documents. 

[LV_Pro]

No, PLC's aren't running operating systems that are supported by any version of LabVIEW. What the previous poster was saying is you can communicate with many PLC's using different protocols, some that are "free" (no additional cost to buy, probably a lot of hours to develop) or not so free (various OPC solutions) that LabVIEW can communicate through. The PLC will still be running whatever programs it would normally, but you can read/set values, and display them in LabVIEW.

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@B4S3M wrote:

Does that mean, i can upload VI's to the PLC, if yes, please link me to any videos or documents. 

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[B4S3M]

And another question , if  i am using OPC, what kind of connection i will need ?

[EricC.]

if you use the LabVIEW OPC, you use a OPC CLIENT. So your connexion depend on the OPC Server that you use.

The OPC server is depend on Siemens.

[EricC.]

Sorry my answor was not complete

The siemens opc server accept to configure all conenxion that the PLC can accept.

So you must look what king of PLC you have and with what king of communication option you have.