Wilson Diagnostic Systems’ PlantTrak™ software is installed into a system network to generate reports based on monitoring all integrated machinery on that network. As soon as an irregularity is detected, PlantTrak analyzes the data to determine whether an error or malfunction has occurred, and can be programmed to generate an alarm. The report data can then be used to identify exactly where the error or malfunction is originating from.
Wilson Diagnostic Systems designed PlantTrak to communicate through Ethernet. However, some machines and PLCs may only have serial, not Ethernet, ports to connect to the presiding network. Comtrol’s DeviceMaster products provide the crucial capability to bring serial machines onto the network and into the software.
At a local industrial die casting company, productivity is crucial. The company installed PlantTrak on their network to maintain performance and to expand their PLC-based productivity. The current die casting system consists of multiple stand-alone PLC units, which require Ethernet connections to the system network. However, each PLC contains only one serial RS-232 communication port. Comtrol’s DeviceMaster RTS 1-Port has been integrated into the system as the connectivity solution. A serial connection is established between each isolated PLC and a DeviceMaster RTS 1-Port, which then transmits relevant data through the Ethernet connections to the main network.
A comprehensive performance history is recorded for each machine, though the PlantTrak capability to follow the monitoring in real-time is often essential for troubleshooting and process refinement. The exceptionally fast TCP/IP connection capability of the DeviceMaster RTS allows for multiple PLCs to be pinged, or monitored, up to 10 times per second to ensure exact system performance. Comtrol’s DeviceMaster has proved to be an exceptional partner with Wilson Diagnostic System’s PlantTrak software to optimize system performance and productivity.