Connecting PCo to PLC without OPC server

[former_member720342]

Hi experts,

i'm interested in a way of connecting SAP PCo to PLCs which don't provide an OPC server.

Does this has to be implemented with the SDK kit? Is anyone using PCo to communicate directly with PLCs?

PCo might not have been built for that case, more likely to connect to historians and OPC servers.

Thanks and best regards,

Stefan

[former_member196557 · Accepted solution]

Hi Stefan,

PCo 15.0 and later has a Modbus Source Agent that can directly connect to any PLC that communicates via Modbus over a Serial connection (ASCII or RTU version), or Modbus TCP/IP. Both Master and Slave connectivity is supported.

Which PLC brands are you want to connect that don't have any OPC Server support either from the manufacturer or via a 3rd Party OPC Server?

Regards, Steve

[former_member720342 · Accepted solution]

Hi Steve,

thanks for your answer.

I got the information that we use a lot of Siemens S7 300/400 (at this time), without Modbus.

Communication happens via Siemens protocol, I guess in this case, PCo has no connector for that, since it is vendor specific.

Best regrads,

Stefan

[former_member196557 · Accepted solution]

Hi Stefan,

Siemens S7 communicate via a variety of protocols but if you have a number of these PLC's you will want to use Ethernet networking for the transport layer. I believe that there are OPC Vendors that support all of the exposed communication interfaces (both Ethernet based and point-to-point/serial), and all of them provide an OPC DA (Data Access) interface. Some also provide an OPC UA (Unified Architecture interface as well. PCo has Source agents for all OPC interfaces.

I have personally been involved in integrating several hundred S7 devices with multiple PCo servers using OPC with an SAP customer and SAP Partner.  At the price points for an OPC Server, it is very cost effective solution.

Regards, Steve

[former_member720342 · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the answer Steve.

So the optimal case for connecting PCo to PLCs would be via OPC.

I thought there might be an "easy" way to connect PCo to the communication moudules of the PLCs, since they don't provide an OPC Server.

Best regards,

Stefan