HELP!!! Using LabView to display/control Mitsubishi FX series PLCs

Hello,
I am a LabView novice and have some questions around using LabView to control and display information from several laboratory instrumentation with a Mitsubishi FX series PLC. The communication protocol for the PLC is Profibus. What LabView modules/products do I need? Will I be using the OPC server and client to communicate to the PLC? Will I be using the device drivers? Is the device drivers the same as the OPC server. Will I need a profibus network card in the PC for Labview to communicate to the PLCs. Once again, I am a novice so please be patience if I ask more questions to understand your response.

Hi,
The following thread seems to address a similar query:
http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=170&message.id=27248&requireLogin=False
To answer some of your other questions:
1. You'll be communicating with the Mitsubishi hardware using an OPC server.
2. This isn't the same as the device drivers, though it could be included with the device drivers you got from Mitsubishi, you would have to check that with them.
3. I don't know if you need a profibus network card in your machine, again, you'd have to check that with Mitsubishi
NI do provide OPC software but I'm not sure if your device is supported. Check if it's listed in the following supported device list. If not you should be able to get an OPC server from Mitsubishi. According to the thread linked above they have one that's compatible with LabVIEW.
The software NI provides that can communicate with OPC servers is called the Data Logging and Supervisory Control Module. What LabVIEW software do you currently have?
I would advise that you contact Mitsubishi to make sure you have all the necessary hardware first. Also, ask them about the OPC server software. Then you can work on controlling the PLCs with LabVIEW.
I hope this clarifies things but if not, post some more questions.
Regards,
Sarah
Applications Engineer | National Instruments | UK & Ireland

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