Tab Process value

Here you will find the settings for the tab "Process value".

Name
The name of the process value, this name will be the name shown in lists, reports, databases etc.  
 

Process value group
Here you can select which process value group (if any) the process value should belong to. This is used in some cases when fetching a value of a certain type on different machines. They are created in a separate form.

Process value type
Here you can select a process value type, and this will control how the value is collected. You will find explanations for each option below.

CSV-Live
This option will read in the latest value from a CSV file. The latest value is determined to be the value which is the last row in the latest file in the work folder connected to the file format.

CSV-File
This option is a customer specific solution which will only work for that specific customer. For any additional information please contact Delacroy.

Compare
This option will compare two process values according to a specific formula. If the formula is true the value returned will be true, otherwise it will be returned as false.

OPC-Value
This option will collect the process value from via OPC-DA.  

OPC UA-Value
Same as above except that here the process value will be collected via OPC-UA.

SQL-Value
Here the process value will be collected from an SQL query asked towards either Balthzar database or an approved ODBC source. If the SQL query contains several columns and rows the value will always be collected from the first column in the first row.  

UDP on port 5180
This option is developed for a specific customer. Please contact Delacroy for any additional information.

Machinestatus
Here the process value will be collected from Balthzars machine status. The process value will contain the value from the selected column on the active machine. The selected column will get its column name from object_status_view_client.

Interval
The selected process value will get a value from another process value with an equal interval. This interval will be determined by the OPC connectors speed which can be set in the "Miscellaneous" tab.  

Constant
If you choose this option the process value will have the value assigned to it during start and that value will never change.

Arithmetic
The process value becomes a sum, difference, ratio or product of the two other process values. No calculation takes place before both process values have received a value.

Cloned value
If this process type is selected the process value will collect its value from another process value. If this other process value will change, so will the original process value. Multiple process values can clone the same value. Once this type is selected a new tab will open up in Data collecting - Cloned value.

File row
If this process type is selected different files will handle different types of data.

Wittra
When this process value type is selected, only data linked to Wittra is retrieved.

HTTP Value
When this process value type is selected, only data linked to HTTP Values is retrieved.

CPK/CP
It is important to know that the subscription types CPK/CP are based on an external standard called Process Capability Index, which has separate documentation. In short, this method is used during the production phase. Set upper/lower statistical limits for what is accounted for as approved, or not approved.

There will be additional settings available for CPK/CP process value types. They are currently under development, when finished they will be added to the Data Collecting tab.

If either CPK, or CP, is as the subscription type then go to "Client" -> "Administration" -> "System settings" -> "Process values" -> "Process value limits" -> "Limits". In that tab go to the section called " Process Capability Index".

Formula
From version 24.1.0 there is a new type available called "Formula". If this is used a new section in the tab for "Data collecting" will open up called "Formula". In this tab different mathematical formulas can be evaluated. This will in turn change the value for the selected process value.

Stop reason
Under development.

MqTT
From version 24.5.0 this type of process value is available. When selected it will open up a new tab in the Data collecting section called MqTT. This is a network protocol used to send messages. Intended to be used when there is some kind of limit for the network, like limited capacity. Often used with IoT units.    
                   

Subscription type
There are a number of different subscription types, and each one will be explained below.

Actual value
This is the actual value received by the system.

Positive Diff Counter
This will count all positive changes for the current value, compared to the previous value.

Accumulative positive diff counter
If there are any increased values, then this option will count this change. However, this only happens when the value received has exceeded the highest allowed limit.

HEX-String
If this option is selected the value will be considered as two 16 bits integer values. it will be translated by matching corresponding values from the ASCII table.

Counter
This option will count all incoming numbers, no matter what type the previous value was.

Value at change
This option will disregard the process values actual value, and instead give it a "New value" when the value is changed. If the process value has not changed during the subscription type time, then it will change to "Old value". The system check that performs this control is performed once every second. From version 20.0.27 this control has changed. The previous system check was only done once a program called The OPC connector was started. Now this system check is performed every time the value actually changes.

The values described above as "New value", and "Old value", are references to the fields to the right in the picture above. More information about them is below. They will only be activated when this sub scription type is selected.

This can be used if a user wishes to change a value that is a counter, to become a value that is an operating signal. Use this subscription type, then go to the field "New value", and enter the number 1. In the field for "Old value", enter the number 0. When the system receives the value from the counter as the number 1, it will now interpret this as an operation signal. If for some reason the system does not receive this value from the counter, it will interpret this as the number 0, which means it does not receive the operation signal as planned.

From version 24.5.0 it is possible to use the fields for "Min / Max Time between changes" located in the same form. Enter a number in each field, that will then determine at what interval the value can change.

Hex Dec
This subscription type can be used to change the type of signal the system should receive. if the signal is in a Hexa decimal form, it can be changed into decimal form automatically. OBS! For this to work as intended the number the system receives must be without any kind of prefix, if that should be the case, then the change will not occur.

Time between changes (ms)
From version 24.1.0 there is a new subscription type available called "Time between changes (ms). if this is selected a time interval must be entered in the fields for "Accepted change interval". If the entered process value is outside the lower and/or upper limits entered here it will not change. One example of when this can be used is to measure time for the latest cycle.      

Machine ID
In this drop-down menu you select a machine ID.

Requested data type
Here you can select a requested data type the process value should be collected as. There are a number of different options here and they are all explained below.

Blob
The data is not interpreted but is treated as unspecified data.

Bool
Data will be handled as boolean.

BStr
Data will be handled as a string.  

Date
Data will be handled as a date.

Decimal
Data will be handled as a decimal.

Default
Data is handled as the data type OPC value is set. If OPC value is not used, it is handled as a string.

I1
Data will be handled as an integer.

I2
Data will be handled as an integer.

I3
Data will be handled as an integer.

I4
Data will be handled as an integer.

Int
Data will be handled as an integer.

UI1
Data will be handled as a positive integer.

UI2
Data will be handled as a positive integer.

UI4
Data will be handled as a positive integer.

UInt
Data will be handled as a positive integer.

Access
Here you have three options to choose from, read, read/write and write this will determine level of access, for example, if you can just read and / or read and write.

Accepted change interval
If the selected subscription type is a counter this menu option will be activated to filter unreasonable large changes from being registered. If the difference between the latest incoming value and the current one is less than what is approved the value will be ignored. If the difference is larger the counter will restart from this value instead.

Number
Here you can select a numeric identificator for the process value.

Divide value by
Before the process value is being read and handled you can choose to divide the value in order to reduce the value. Please note that if dividing the value fails for some reason the original value will be used instead.

Number of decimals
Here you will enter the number of decimals the value should be presented with.

Change on bad quality
When a process value is being handled it might be of bad quality because an error of some kind occurred. If this checkbox is activated, you can use another standard value in order to avoid any interruption that potential error messages can create.   

Value on bad quality
The value here will be the value applied to the option above.

Active
This checkbox will determine if the process value will be gathered or not.  

New value
This is connected to the subscription type Value at change. The value entered here will be the value that the subscription type will get if the value changes during the subscription type time.

Old value
This is connected to the subscription type Value at change. The value entered here will be the value that the subscription type will get, if the value is not changed during the subscription type time.

Min time between changes (ms)
Enter a number here, and it will represent the lower limit the process value must be within to trigger a change of the process value. This is used by two different process value sub scription types called "Value at change", and "Time between change".

Max time between changes (ms)
Enter a number here, and it will represent the higher limit the process value must be within to trigger a change of the process value. This is used by two different sub scription types called "Value at change", and "Time between change".