Page 1 of 14 CPC Networking and Communication This document is an overview of CPC s networking and communication capabilities. Not all features in this document are standard options in CPC. Please speak with an ASC sales representative to discuss the ideal solution for your system. Contents Networked environment... 2 Data file storage... 2 Recipe file storage... 3 Quality card storage... 4 Part database storage... 5 Dual PC Solution... 6 Remote control of equipment... 8 Connect to feature... 8 Remote client... 8 Typical networked setup... 8 Multiple equipment system networked setup... 10 CPC communication capabilities... 11 CPC pushing data... 11 CPC pulling data... 11 CPC objects backup... 12 Local backup... 12 Remote backup... 12 CPC folder backup... 12 Manual backup... 12 Automatic and network backups... 12 Forced updates... 12 Virus protection... 13 CPC Exchange Solution... 14 Direct email capability... 14 CPC Exchange PC... 14
Page 2 of 14 Networked environment CPC is capable of working in a standalone or networked environment. If you choose to operate CPC in a networked environment, we suggest that you add a secondary network card to each PC to interface with the company network. It is good practice to operate CPC on a dedicated machine network to prevent any possible data collisions or interference with production runs. Data file storage CPC saves data into a.dat file on the local hard drive. This CPC proprietary file is a record of all sensor data recorded during each run. CPC is able to open this file and allow the user to access reports, trends, and raw data at a later time. This file should be kept as record of individual production runs. This file can also be written to a network storage location at the end of a run. This will allow for long term storage on the server and give remote clients running CPC access to the data. All connections to the Intranet from CPC PCs will be made through a secondary network card. Example:
Page 3 of 14 Recipe file storage A recipe is a step-by-step procedure that is programmed to automatically duplicate the steps required to process the parts in the equipment or the control the equipment in general. This file is configured by default to store inside the objects.g file. The recipe can also be configured to save as an individual file with a.rcp extension. This file can then be stored on a network storage location and pulled from the location before each use. This can be very useful if the recipes are shared by multiple equipment, or if recipes are to be written remotely from an alternate location such as an engineer s PC. All connections to the Intranet from CPC PCs will be made through a secondary network card. Example:
Page 4 of 14 Quality card storage A quality card is a software specification document that describes the procedures used to analyze a specific set of data. This file is configured by default to store inside the objects.g file. The quality cards can also be configured to save as an individual file with a.qcd extension. This file can then be stored on a network storage location and pulled from the location before each use. This can be very useful if the quality cards are shared by multiple equipment, or if quality cards are to be written remotely from an alternate location such as an engineer s PC. All connections to the Intranet from CPC PCs will be made through a secondary network card. Example:
Page 5 of 14 Part database storage The CPC Part Database stores common parts and part information that can be selected during part entry operations. Typically, this file is configured by default to store in the objects folder locally on the PC. This is a standard Microsoft Access database. If there are multiple equipment running the same parts, it may be beneficial to alternatively store the database on a network storage device. This will allow all devices on the network to share a global part database. Parts will no longer need to be entered in individually on each machine. All connections to the Intranet from CPC PCs will be made through a secondary network card. Example:
Page 6 of 14 Dual PC Solution ASC s dual PC systems are configured in a proven, redundant hot-backup architecture providing 100% backup of operations and data acquisition. The dual PC system provides two PC s capable of controlling the process. During normal operation, either PC can be used concurrently for viewing, reporting, curewriting, and manual control. Example of normal operation The backup system utilizes a hardwired selector switch that is connected to the PLC. This switch has the option of manually switching the control PC between PCA, PCB, and Auto. During operation the following is occurring when the switch is set to Auto: Both PCA and PCB continually pulse with the PLC. This heartbeat indicates to the PLC that the PC is communicating properly. PCA is in active control of the equipment process and data collection PCB is receiving live data backups every minute from PCA over the network PCB client is connected to PCA over the network and is capable of concurrently viewing, reporting, cure-writing, and manual control. PCB is in standby as a hot back up ** Note The CPC client and server applications are separate programs running on each PC.
Page 7 of 14 Example of PC control switched to PCB This is an example of when the PC in control switch has been manually switched to PCB in control. The PLC instructs PCB to take control of the process. PCA server is disconnected from the process PCB server assumes full control of the process and data collection PCB client disconnects from PCA server and connects to PCB server PCA client disconnects from PCA server and connects to PCB server PCB completes the run in control of the process Example of hot backup operation This is an example of the PCs in a backup operation state. The example is when the secondary PC has taken control of the process. This occurs when the PLC has stopped receiving communication from PCA. The PLC reports that it is has not received communication from PCA for over 1 minute The PLC instructs PCB to take control of the process PCA server is disconnected from the process PCB server assumes full control of the process and data collection PCB client disconnects from PCA server and connects to PCB server PCB completes the run in control of the process
Page 8 of 14 Remote control of equipment CPC has two different options for connecting to and controlling other CPC instances. Connect to feature The first is the CPC connect to feature. This allows one running CPC instance to connect to and control another running instance on the same network. This will require the same version of CPC to be used. This option is typically used when an equipment operator wants to look at the run status of another equipment without physically being present. Remote client The second option is a remote client. This is a CPC client on the same network that is configured with the capability to connect to CPC server running the process. An example of this would be an engineer accessing the live process in the equipment from their desk. This options requires an additional license. Both of the above options offer full control of the equipment from a remote location. All connections to the Intranet from CPC PCs will be made through a secondary network card. Example below: Typical networked setup
Page 9 of 14 The example below is a typical networked setup. Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are the industrial computers that control the machinery. This setup displays two equipment with PLCs connected through the secondary network cards. This provides the recommended dedicated machine network. The two equipment have the connect to feature enabled on the PCA PCs. The storage server has been setup to remotely store quality cards, data files, and recipe files. Engineers PCs have been attached to access data. The materials engineer has a client to remote into the equipment PCs. Example below:
Page 10 of 14 Multiple equipment system networked setup The example below is a networked set-up of a CPC multiple equipment system that is controlling eleven ovens spread throughout a single facility. This example illustrates CPCs ability to interface with many computers and controllers within a network. The ovens have individual PLC s connected to a Master PLC that is receiving instructions from the CPC instances running on the PCs. This system also demonstrates the quality and database storage features offered by ASC as well. Example below:
Page 11 of 14 CPC communication capabilities ASC s CPC has the ability to talk to other systems in many other ways. Here are ways in which CPC can push and pull data. CPC pushing data CPC can write to multiple types of databases. If there is an ODBC-compliant database, we can setup a connection string and write data to a specific record and table. CPC can write to a local database such as MS Access and MS SQL. SCADA systems can pull information from these databases. CPC can write information to a flat text file. This is often used to have CPC write information to MRP systems. The MRP system checks a specific folder and when a file exists it will load it and delete it. This is not an ideal solution, but it is requested by some customers. CPC can store information in a PLC so that the SCADA system can pull information from the PLC. This would be useful if your SCADA already has the ability to communicate with your PLC. CPC can communicate serially via RS232 or RS422/485. This is an outdated technology, but might be required in certain instances. CPC pulling data CPC can be setup as an OPC Server. This is rarely used, but can allow CPC to deliver tag information to outside consumers. CPC exposes DLL Com Objects that can be easily connected to by external programs. This allows, for example, an Excel VBA application to pull information from CPC directly without CPC being involved. This is often used by companies that want to create their own system for displaying or transferring information. Some SCADA packages support COM interface and might be able to easily pull information in this way. CPC has special objects called TCPTalker and TCPListener which serve to communicate information via a TCP Socket. This allows easy penetration of firewalls and is a simple socketlevel communications. It would need a simple program on the consumer side that talks and listens to CPC. This application can then direct information elsewhere with whatever protocol you desire. We have sample.net applications that we provide to customers for this.
Page 12 of 14 CPC objects backup The objects.g file is the configuration file for CPC installations. As such, steps are taken to preserve copies of this file. Local backup CPC is configured to automatically back up the objects.g file daily to a local folder. This backup is an incremental archive of objects.g files stored over a month s time. This method of saving provides a daily archived copy of the objects.g files dating back 30 days. Remote backup CPC can be configured to point this backup file to archive at a remote network location. This can be advantageous if the server has redundant hard drives or is regularly backed up. This will provide you with a good copy of the objects in case the hard drive on the local PC experiences a fault. CPC folder backup CPC offers a method to back-up the entire CPC folder on the local PC. This folder contains databases, resources, and configuration files that need to be preserved intermittently. Manual backup CPC has a manual feature on every CPC instance on the support screen. This allows a user with proper permissions to log in and manually back this file up to a local backup location. This should be completed periodically as a back-up. This is configured by default as a manual feature to prevent the back-up from running while CPC is controlling a process. As the back-up is resource intensive, it should be completed when the equipment is in a non-running state. Automatic and network backups CPC can accomplish this task over a network or automatically if the situation calls for it. CPC can be configured to automatically execute this back-up at predetermined intervals such as time of day, week, month, etc. Any location that is on the same network as the CPC PC can be configured as the backup location. Forced updates In a fully networked facility, it is typical for IT to push updates to network PC s. The correct way of handling these updates is for IT staff to work with production to ensure that the PC does not receive updates while CPC is controlling the equipment. Updates can force the system to reboot and or disrupt network connectivity. This can cause disruptions to production runs.
Page 13 of 14 Virus protection CPC will work with most virus scanning software. Since there are many different flavors of virus protection out there, we cannot guarantee it will work without testing it first. We suggest loading the software and running a scan while the equipment is not running. Virus protection software is typically very CPU intensive. The correct implementation is to run scans while the equipment is not running production. Running scans while the equipment is running could be problematic and cause run abnormalities. It is also important for IT to coordinate with production on software updates. Virus protection software has the ability to force reboot. Reboots will disrupt production cycles.
Page 14 of 14 CPC Exchange Solution ASC s CPC Exchange system is an email based solution that is an ideal solution for remote process monitoring. CPC Exchange automatically creates and sends group emails based on customer defined triggers. This allows for convenient offsite email monitoring of equipment processes and status. Please speak with an ASC sales representative if you wish to integrate CPC Exchange capabilities into your system. Direct email capability For control PC s that are directly able to connect to the internet, CPC can run a local instance of the CPC Exchange and send emails directly to the group as configured. CPC Exchange PC For instances where connecting to the PC directly to the internet is unavailable, CPC can use an intermediary PC to run the Exchange service. This allows the CPC Exchange PC to communicate with the in-house network containing the CPC PCs as well as connect to the internet using a secondary network card. This also allows one central notification point for facilities containing many instances of CPC. Example below: