OT: Post Pics of your computer desktop

[Steve_Perry]

Steve (Perry)

RSLinx?
RSLogix500?
Panelbuilder32?

Do a bit of Allen Bradley PLC work do we?

Paul G

Hi Paul,

Yup I mainly program SLC500's / PLC 5's (Software not shown) / and Operator Panels from small PV550's up to PV1000 and PV1400. I also program Siemens PLC's (Simatic Manager/Step 7) and Modicon PLC's (Concept).

So do you dabble with industrial control and automation then Paul?

Heh, good to see someone who recognises some of those icons

S.

 

[Kinky]

Honest Kaiser - it was the dogs danglies.

TRUE multitaksing - MEGA fast, etc, etc ....

However, you had to know how to configure it and there was little driver support outside of IBM for non-mainstream products (video, printers ,etc) and products even less so.

It ran MS Windows faster than windows itself on a identical spec machine and you could run Windows apps on it - but native ones were best.

Sigh ......

 

[Paul Grainger]

Steve

In a former life I used to write PLC software (mainly Mitsubishi) and SCADA (IC2000). I used to do work for STWA, CEGB etc.

In my present life I am the engineer at a large lead smelting works in Derbyshire.
We standardise (where possible) on AB kit - we have PLC5's, SLC500's, Panelviews (various, mainly 1400E), RSView (several systems), Controlview (ugh), various AB DC drive systems, lots of remote I/O, DH+ networks etc etc etc.
We also have massive numbers of 'Motorvision' (P&B) protection / control units - these things communicate to AB via a dedicated Moeller PLC (just for protocol matching). If you have ever come across these things you will know of their problems!

Paul G

Paul G

 

[Steve_Perry]

Paul,

Ahh the only SCADA I've really managed to get my teeth into was WonderWares' InTouch FactorySuite. I've also dabbled with RSView and Siemens' SCADA efforts.

For my sins, I've also had to set up various remote I/O, devicenet, DH+, profibus and modbus networks. Never straightforward and certainly never 'plug n play' like the manufacturers would have you believe.

I guess I am happiest when writing ladder logic code or putting together mimic screens, networking is just a pain in the **** most of the time.

I've never dealt with Motorvision protection specifically but I have had many a day on site troubleshooting motor variable speed drives, also some that were connected over fieldbus networks, e.g. devicenet/modbus or profibus.

Well it's good to know I can talk to someone here about industrial automation and control.

S.

 

[Paul Grainger]

We have two InTouch SCADA systems (forget about them earlier!) on furnace burners. they came as part of a package from the USA - I prefer RSView as it seems more flexible and you don't have keep messing around with licence files (.lic) when you want to make changes. I can't remember the release number of our InTouch systems - but they are quite old (1998).

When I contact WonderWare for help and tell them the release number, they say that everone who is familiar with that issue has retired!

Like you say, it's good to know that someone else on the forum is involved with automation / control!

Paul G

 

[Steve_Perry]

We have two InTouch SCADA systems (forget about them earlier!) on furnace burners. they came as part of a package from the USA - I prefer RSView as it seems more flexible and you don't have keep messing around with licence files (.lic) when you want to make changes. I can't remember the release number of our InTouch systems - but they are quite old (1998).

When I contact WonderWare for help and tell them the release number, they say that everone who is familiar with that issue has retired!

Like you say, it's good to know that someone else on the forum is involved with automation / control!

Paul G

Circa 98 would be FactorySuite 1000, release number 5.6 for Win95 or 6.0b for WinNT. You shouldn't have to mess with .lic files though, I am assuming you have developer licences and not just runtime licences. Retired?!?! hehe well I still have my course certs from Pantek who are official distributors for WonderWare InTouch.

S.

 

[lordofthenazgul]

See if this works

This is my desktop.
It is depicting a view of a canyon in the marinaris trench on Mars using data obtained by the Mars Express spacecraft.
I Didnt do it myself I hasten to add! ...Its from the BBC webpage

 

[lordofthenazgul]

I guess I am happiest when writing ladder logic code or putting together mimic screens, networking is just a pain in the **** most of the time.

I've never dealt with Motorvision protection specifically but I have had many a day on site troubleshooting motor variable speed drives, also some that were connected over fieldbus networks, e.g. devicenet/modbus or profibus.

Well it's good to know I can talk to someone here about industrial automation and control.

S.

I too am biased towards your field.
I'm a time served Instrument Artificer with ICI.
I still work @ Castner Kellner in Runcorn, but I have no experience in PLC programming (only using ladder diagrams on Mitsubishi PLCs in college)

Oh, and I'm not on the tools any more, I'm a project manager so i tend to just be the one filling in the paperwork!

 

[Steve_Perry]

LordoftheNazgul,

Your Desktop works and quite cool it is too. Also liked the pics of your car in the gallery, nice one mate

I too am biased towards your field.
I'm a time served Instrument Artificer with ICI.
I still work @ Castner Kellner in Runcorn, but I have no experience in PLC programming (only using ladder diagrams on Mitsubishi PLCs in college)

Oh, and I'm not on the tools any more, I'm a project manager so i tend to just be the one filling in the paperwork!

Basic IEC-1131 ladder commands are pretty much the same no matter which system is used so your Mitsi ladder diagrams in college would stand you in good stead, it only gets interesting because each manufacturer has it's own interpritation of the standards and they also add their own flavours of enhanced commands and functions. I didn't get any training in ladder logic when I was at Uni. the course was pretty crap.

Unfortunately, I couldn't really progress the career ladder at the last company I worked for as they were generally laying people off rather than promote them to more senior positions. So I am still on the tools as they say, still it's work I enjoy

S.

 

[lordofthenazgul]

LordoftheNazgul,

Your Desktop works and quite cool it is too. Also liked the pics of your car in the gallery, nice one mate


Basic IEC-1131 ladder commands are pretty much the same no matter which system is used so your Mitsi ladder diagrams in college would stand you in good stead, it only gets interesting because each manufacturer has it's own interpritation of the standards and they also add their own flavours of enhanced commands and functions. I didn't get any training in ladder logic when I was at Uni. the course was pretty crap.

Unfortunately, I couldn't really progress the career ladder at the last company I worked for as they were generally laying people off rather than promote them to more senior positions. So I am still on the tools as they say, still it's work I enjoy

S.

I know how you feel, Castner Kellner/ Rocksavage works is no longer owned by ICI and the feeling around the place is of doom and gloom, I think it is across the whole of the chemical industry nowadays
I only came off the tools 3 yrs ago and I like to keep my hand in doing a commissioning role, its better than being caged in the office!.

Like i said, not much experience in PLC's though, tended to come into the domain of the electricians, We used to have predominantly Texas 5TI's, and a few Eurotherm thingies that looked like ATM's (they tended to use logic flow diagrams rather than ladder diagrams...a lot easier for a simpleton like me to follow!), now they are being replaced with Allen Bradleys
Only promoted because I'm doing a sponsored degree @ JMU in Liverpool, but its going to be my ticket to take my family away to different shores where engineers are valued...hopefully anyway, just got to pass the damn course first!

 

[Flyer]

I too am biased towards your field.
I'm a time served Instrument Artificer with ICI.
I still work @ Castner Kellner in Runcorn,

Small world ... my dad was a foreman at Castners for thirty-odd years, finishing in 1987. There's four or five tall green "things" that you can see from the expressway (I want to call them plants, but that's probably the wrong term) that he used to tell us he was in charge of.

Do you live in Runcorn?

Cheers
Andrew

 

[lordofthenazgul]

Small world ... my dad was a foreman at Castners for thirty-odd years, finishing in 1987. There's four or five tall green "things" that you can see from the expressway
Do you live in Runcorn?

Cheers
Andrew

Hi Andrew
I no longer live in Runcorn but my mum & dad still do, I moved to Warrington 15 yrs ago, but still drive in every day.

I only moved onto the site in 1987 so chances are I wouldnt know your dad.

The green things you refer to are distillation columns, the ones nearest the expressway belong to per tri plant and the ones further down, towards the river belong to VC3 plant, very dangerous plant, listed in the top 10 major chemical accident hazards in the UK!

Both of them are a nightmare to work on, from my days as an apprentice!.

And the Instrument guys who work down there are...eccentric shall we say