PLC integration to Epicor

Kinetic ERP
1

Hello all,

Long time listener, first time poster.

I’ve got some questions about the different approaches to gathering machine uptime in Epicor (in this case assembly fixtures). We have just implemented Epicor as our new ERP and I have only had a couple of months to use it so my knowledge of it is still minimal.
I’ve made my own home-grown setup that I’ll explain and maybe someone can give some thoughts on routes to take.
I’ve taken a look at Machine Uptime Tracking - Epicor ERP 10 - Epicor User Help Forum and it looks like this may be the route to take.
So, to start off we have Horner, Koyo – Click, P1000 and CompactLogix plc’s.
We use our OPC software Kepware with plc specific drivers to connect our Scada system to the plc’s.
Our Scada system is GE Cimplicity that collects data from the plc’s and puts it into our own MS SQL server. Cimplicity has API capabilities that can be used to connect to Epicor. We also have a GE Historian 2022 server that I plan on getting to work in the next month as well that has API capabilities.
I developed logic for the different plc’s to capture Uptime/Downtime and defects associated with those start/stop times. I currently store that data and make it available to Ops.
The bottleneck is using SSRS or Power BI. This doesn’t seem to be a good option for everyone to gather the data because of all the manual manipulation that needs to happen to make it usable.
Right now, the first goal is to get Machine Uptime/Downtime/Defects into Epicor to track per assembly and allow Ops to make their own dashboards.
Another goal I would like to accomplish is pulling job#, build quantity, Part number, etc., and have personnel login with either employee number (stored in Epicor) or RF badge ID (not yet stored in Epicor) to the machine they’re using for the day as well as completed part Check-ins.
So, my first questions would be:

  1. Would pushing/pulling data from our SCADA system to Epicor through API’s be the best/easiest route?
  2. Would pushing/pulling data from MS SQL/Historian to Epicor through API’s be a better route?

I know that there are a lot of variables and what-ifs but I’m just trying to get a good idea of what others would do in the same scenario.
If there are any questions, please feel free to ask and ill try to provide an answer.

I appreciate any insights that can be provided on this subject! Have a good day!

1 Like
2

Would you use this data that resides here in places other than Epicor?

1 Like
3

I cant think of anywhere else we would use the data outside of Epicor currently (ill probably think of something after answering this).

4

I cant think of anywhere else we would use the data outside of Epicor currently (ill probably think of something after answering this).

5

Then I think I would go with option 1.

I’d set up some sort of local process to pull and push the data to Epicor.
(Unless you can do it directly in your SCADA?)

6

Also, think about resilience. Do you care if Kinetic is down for patching, upgrades, etc. and you lose data? Or if you have to restore Kinetic to a previous state, can you re-run transactions back in?

2 Likes
7

@jgiese.wci and @hkeric.wci have extensively used PLC data in their operations. Might be worth digging around on here for that or catching up with them at insights if you get a chance to go @dorth .

1 Like
8

Is Epicor IoT dead?

9

I don’t think so, but I don’t know anybody using it.

2 Likes
10

We use One Industrial Platform for SCADA, IIoT, MES, and More | Ignition and that then talks to Epicor and calls BOs or EFX.

3 Likes
11

For reporting/data analysis are you loading that PLC data into a separate database as well or do you send all PLC tags/outputs to Epicor and then query epicor?

12

Ok. Ill have to do some more digging to verify. Currently i push/pull data from our SQL database through VB scripts (ADO) so i would think i could trigger API push/pulls from the same scripts and store that information in virtual points/tags or push it along ot the plc’s.

13

Ill make sure to add that into the scope of work this may turn into for me. I dont see it as a show stopper by any means since most of the data is stored in SQL tables currently but still good information for my fact finding.

1 Like
14

Looks like and awesome system! I had heard of ignition but was to far down the GE rabbit hole already.

15

@utaylor - Im currently storing TAKT/Defect data into an off premise MS SQL server along with production data (press data (force/distance), Tool torque/angle data, Leak test results for serialized assemblies). I havent connected with Epicor yet. This is more of a fact finding mission for me at this point. We were using SSRS to make reports for Ops but we only have 2 people company wide that are allowed to write the reports. They had also started to develop Power BI reports and we would display that through a software called Yodeck onto the shop floor. It eventually became to much effort for everyone to use it and most of what i accomlished is no longer being used. Enter new ERP Epicor and now the chance to re-ignite the usage of valuable production data is back (great news for me).

1 Like
16

Nice Dwayne that’s really cool.