Automation’s Best Friend Solution Chronicles

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T E C H N O L O G I E S

Kepware Technologies Automation’s Best Friend 1.888.Kepware sales@kepware.com www.kepware.com

SCHMIDT Technology
chooses LinkMaster to link PLC data to ServoPress
SCHMIDT Technology Corp. a wholly owned subsidiary of SCHMIDT Technology - Germany, offers a comprehensive line of precision Manual,
Air-Powered, and Hydro-Pneumatic presses for manufacturing industries in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

idt idt idt involvement of providing status of force monitoring, sequence information,
SecrhvomPress SecrhvomPress SecrhvomPress and real-time access to additional force and position data from two
S #1 S #2 S #3
ServoPress modules.
Since SCHMIDT does not support a direct driver link to a GE Fanuc
PLC, SCHMIDT engineers decided to review Kepware’s OPC server suite
(KEPServerEX) as well as Kepware’s OPC system bridging software package
(LinkMaster). KEPServerEX would provide the Ethernet connection to the
GE Fanuc PLC, and LinkMaster would bridge or “link” the OPC data between
c
anu the SCHMIDT OPC server and KEPServerEX. During the development stage
GE FLC
P of this project, the fully functioning 2-hour demo packages of KEPServerEX
and LinkMaster were downloaded from the Kepware website.
It is important to note that, during this process, SCHMIDT engineers did not

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Serv
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KEP
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SchSmerver
OPC
With its most recent introduction of (5) five ServoPress Models, certain
challenges were presented to the SCHMIDT Technology control engineering
staff in how to communicate electronic data between control systems.
The SCHMIDT Technology PRC4000 6-axis ServoPress controller is an “open
source” logic and servo control unit that provides sequencing, calculating,
process monitoring, SPC, and motion control, as well as a built-in HMI. This
controller also contains an OPC server that is used as an interface to allow for
real-time exchanging of data with OPC clients. By using an OPC interface, any
word or Boolean information can be easily exchanged between the SCHMIDT
controller and another PC-based control, HMI, or PLC.
In a recent medical application, the PRC4000 ServoPress controller was
required to provide force data to a GE Fanuc PLC that was functioning as
a master controller on an assembly line. This application also required the
have a GE PLC in-house to test the data transfer. However, they did have
several Allen Bradley Micrologix PLCs on hand. Because KEPServerEX also
provides connectivity to Allen Bradley PLCs, the SCHMIDT team was able to
install the KEPServerEX OPC server suite and the LinkMaster application on
the PRC4000 controller. They used Kepware’s Allen Bradley DF1 connectivity
to communicate directly to the PLC through a serial port. Next, LinkMaster
was quickly configured to acquire the data to/from the SCHMIDT OPC
server, and map the integer and Boolean data directly to available Integers
and bits within the AB PLC. Due to the reliability and ease of use of the
in-house evaluation system, SCHMIDT engineers made the decision to use
Kepware’s solution at the customer site. Kepware’s OPC server provides a
single consistent interface to a variety of industrial protocols. This made the
transition from the in-house AB to the on-site GE connectivity fast and easy.
KEPServerEX with GE connectivity and the bridge application LinkMaster
were installed on the PRC4000 controller allowing a successful and seamless
exchange of data through the on-board Ethernet port.
This fast, easy, and reliable solution provided by LinkMaster prompted a
final configuration featuring the use of LinkMaster to transfer data and
status/control bits between three PRC4000 controllers and the GE PLC.

Kepware is the leading provider of communications software for automation with annual shipments exceeding 100,000 units.