User Guide > Instrument Support in SpecView

How can I find out if SpecView supports a particular instrument?

Is the instrument specifically listed on: www.specview.com

if it is, then the answer is yes.

If not, then:

1. If the manufacturer & instrument series is listed, but just not the specific model number (i.e. 'XYZ series 1200' but yours is model: 1250) then:

Try connecting using the most similar instrument definition. If it doesn't work or only partially works, then see: 'New Driver (or Driver modification)' below.

2. If the manufacturer is listed but no similar model number is shown, then:

See: "New Driver (or Driver modification)" below.

3. If the manufacturer is not listed, then:

Check the technical documentation for the instrument which details the protocol it uses:

3a. If the protocol is modbus-RTU or modbus-TCP then this may be possible using SpecView's Generic modbus driver. (However, SpecView does not support the Modbus-ASCII protocol).

3b. If the instrument supports OPC, then SpecView's OPC client can be used which is a chargeable option.

3c. If the protocol is ASCI then, it may be possible, see 'New Driver (or Driver modification)' below.

3d. If the protocol is proprietory then see 'New Driver (or Driver modification)' below.

New Driver (or Driver modification)

If a new driver or a driver modification is required then give us as much information as

possible (in writing via email or fax), including the technical documentation for the instrument which details the parameter addresses (or let us know where we can obtain it from).

If the instrument has many hundreds of parameters, but you only require access to a few of them then let us know. Similarly, If you have a specific time-scale requirement then we'll need to know this too.

Based on this information and the commercial potential we will provide a quotation & time scale.

Be prepared to send us the instrument in question, so that we can use it for test purposes. If it is not possible for us to be sent the instrument, then instead we can send you a Driver based on the technical documentation for you to try.

PLCs

PLCs are different to instruments and controllers because they typically have their own software to setup the program to run.

Consequently because this software can be used to setup parameters at different addresses within the PLC it is not possible for SpecView to create an 'Instrument Definition' for the driver containing the parameter names and addresses, because these can change depending on how the PLC's software is configured.

SpecView can communicate with PLCs in 2 ways:

1. Via OPC - in which case it is necessary to purchase the PLC's own OPC Server (or a third party OPC Server such as Kepware) and the SpecView OPC Client option on the dongle.

2. Via Modbus TCP if the PLC has this capability (it may be an optional hardware module)

For example, Siemens PLCs have the capability to use the Modbus TCP protocol (if the Modbus card is purchased with it). In this case it is possible to use SpecView's Generic Modbus driver to access the parameters once the PLC itself has been configured.

It is necessary to know how the PLC has been setup, in order to know, for example, that the 'High Alarm Limit' is of type 'Function Code 3' at address 24.

Hopefully the PLC setup software has a method of exporting the Modbus map (containing the mappings of parameter names and their types and addresses)

Contact SpecView Technical Support for assistance in converting the Modbus map to the types in SpecView's Generic Modbus.

For using SpecView's Generic Modbus driver with the Siemens S7-1200 PLC, there is a specific example of the setup of Siemens TIA Portal.