Commisioning of SetupControl tool during machine building

[maj9bj]

I would like to know how the commisioning of SetupControl tool works in practice. I'm looking for some user experience.

1. Are you running the system with local data while building the machine and then switching to SetupControl?
2. Do you use any testing server during machine building? I mean server, which can run at supplier site.
3. Is there any other way how to deal with that?

[SteffenR- · Accepted solution]

What I have already seen in Bosch plants and at suppliers:

Some plants and business areas are providing a MES test server. Either a real computer at the supplier or via router in the cloud. Bosch AE is very exemplary and provides all suppliers access to a test server.

If no test server is available:

1. If you have MES via Public Interface (OPC UA) it is quite easy: The DataSetManager can switch between local data or MES data.
   Alternatively/Additionally you can use the PublicInterfaceTester to simulate MES.
2. For MES via OpconXml: Testing could be done with the CommTester. But this tool is not available publicly. And the usage of the tool is not very convenient.
3. Last option that is probably the default option with OpconXml nowadays:
   Put the MES type data temporarily into a local DAT file and use local data management (DataSetManager+DataSetAccess or DatAccess). When MES is available switch back from local data to MES data. This solutions causes the most additional effort and I guess this is the reason for your question 😀

Target is that DataSetManager supports OpconXml as well, but priorization is not yet high enough to implement it (and some technical basics would have to be improved in the platform). Feel free to contribute to a higher priorization.

[SteffenR-]

I forgot another solution:

MES SetupControl can also communicate via DAT files with the station, that means there is no dataDownloadRequired (OpconXml) nor DataSet (OPC UA Public Interface) for type data. The DAT files are pushed to the station via the MES Cyclic Update (which is part of the Line Configurator).

This solution has some big advantages:

1. During commissioning you can edit the local DAT file. As soon as MES SetupControl is available you set the DAT file for the HMI data editor to "read-only".
2. When type data are changed in SetupControl they can be pushed actively to the station. In combination with DataSetManager/DatAccess a blue message occurs that new data are available.
3. When manually starting changeover to a new type, you can select the type out of the available DAT files. So there is no necessarity to put in the new type number manually.

Disadvantage of Cyclic Update:

In future there could be security limiations or Windows changes in a way that it is not working anymore (because it uses the Remote Registry service).