adccommunitymod (AutomationDirect) asked a question.
Created Date: August 13,2013
Created By: Ibsft
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We are looking for an inexpensive way to limit down time in the event that the CMore touch screen fails. We would need only a handful of inputs (somewhere between six to ten) to limp along. We use an 06 PLC with the 15 " color CMore. The intent would be to ship a $161 Micro non touch with each system and it would only be used if the main screen has an issue. The customer can then limp along until a replacement Cmore could be programmed and shipped. Anything that would be better then the Micro while still being inexpensive and easy to integrate with the existing 06 PLC?
Created Date: August 13,2013
Created by: Do-more PE
That's about as inexpensive and easy to program as it gets.
Created Date: August 14,2013
Created by: HMI Eng
I personally would recommend a touch version of the Micro. It is just my preference and does not add much cost.
Created Date: August 14,2013
Created by: jwbaker3
I second the touch version. I did one non touch, the touch is worth the extra cost in operator ease of use and programming.
JW
Created Date: August 15,2013
Created by: Ibsft
Thanks for the input. I'll play around with the touch version of the micro.
It would be nice to be able to display error messages on the Micro, but it appears it does not support the event manager feature. Is there a work around, such as converting CMore event mgr events with message boxes to plain message boxes so that can be exported to the Micro?
Created Date: August 15,2013
Created by: rguimond
There isn't support for Event Manager, but you can display messages on the Micro using several methods:
1. Stack Static Text objects on top of each other and display them based on Visibility (when the tag attached to the Visibility option is true, Static Text is displayed)
2. Use "Lookup Text ", where an integer value in a tag displays a message defined in the Message Database
3. Use "Dynamic Text ". This is quirky, depending on the PLC you 're communicating with. Sometimes the String is jarbled and you have to use "Byte Swap ". I really like this because it allows changing of message descriptions in one spot. It gets to be a real pain if you have multiple HMIs and have to re-program each because you changed the description of an event!
Created Date: August 15,2013
Created by: Ibsft
The programmer is concerned about the 50 or so events that would have to be redone for the Micro. I tried exporting them to an excel file to see if there was an easy way to transfer/convert the pop up messages from the event manager into Micro messages, but that is not looking good. Any shortcut ideas or do we just have to re-enter all the popup error messages from the events into Micro messages?
Created Date: August 15,2013
Created by: bcarlton
OR - the cost of downtime could easily justify a full C-More in stock. If a number of machines use the same C-More but with different programs then just keep 1 C-More, the programming software and a USB cable on hand.
Created Date: August 15,2013
Created by: Ibsft
We do keep a spare CMore in stock at the factory. Most of our customers are not willing to pay for a spare to keep on their shelves, which is why we'd like an inexpensive option to keep them running until a replacement can get there.
Created Date: August 13,2013
Created by: Ibsft
We are looking for an inexpensive way to limit down time in the event that the CMore touch screen fails. We would need only a handful of inputs (somewhere between six to ten) to limp along. We use an 06 PLC with the 15 " color CMore.
The intent would be to ship a $161 Micro non touch with each system and it would only be used if the main screen has an issue. The customer can then limp along until a replacement Cmore could be programmed and shipped. Anything that would be better then the Micro while still being inexpensive and easy to integrate with the existing 06 PLC?