PanelView Plus 7 Selection Guide
The PanelView Plus 7 with its standard and performance models furnishes its users with a broad-ranging portfolio. Its interface eases its users to peek into a system at the machine level and control it through keypad input or touch screen. Bringing in enhanced connectivity for remote monitoring and control actions, it includes email and text notification capabilities.
The performance model of PanelView Plus 7 is designed to operate with small to complex machine applications. While the standard model is good for only small and medium-sized machine applications. The ArmorView Plus 7 version comes with unique features to enhance flexibility. It is equipped with sixteen standard button plate configurations. Additionally, each button and switch can be customized individually. Finally, its Stainless-Steel Performance Version is a very durable and sturdy product that comes with a conformal coating. Furthermore, it is equipped with stainless steel 304 bezel and a replaceable food-grade gasket.
Selection Criteria
While choosing PanelView Plus 7, some key features must be known and paid heed to by a prospective user. Here, features for both standard and performance models are discussed, and differences are mentioned explicitly.
Software Specifications
Liberty of Configuring the Terminal in a Closed or Open System
PanelView Plus 7 terminals are developed to give its users the liberty to configure their terminals in an open or closed system. Rockwell Automation ships all its terminals to run in a closed system by default. Anyhow, this option can be changed upon the launch of the product. Configured start-up options can also be changed later on by resetting the terminal using the reset key (F7) and then configuring the system in an open or closed system again.
Desktop Access
Both models of PanelView Plus 7 give its users liberty to allow or restrict access to desktop windows of the terminal. This access could be temporary or permanent, in which it can deny completion of specific tasks so that no one could make unauthorized changes. These tasks include running third-party applications, performing system and control panel operations, using any file viewer, and launching a web browser. As mentioned earlier, all terminals shipped from the factory come with denied desktop access.
Network Connections
Both standard and performance terminals of PanelView Plus 7 are equipped with Ethernet/IP port(s). Both models connect to an Ethernet/IP network with the use of a CAT5, CAT5E, or CAT6 cable. Through these ports, the terminal becomes capable of communicating with ControlLogix and CompactLogix devices. Both types also support DLR (Device Level Ring Network), linear, and star network topologies. Easily available RJ45 connectors are used with Ethernet cables to make the connection.
Moreover, the user has an option to manually set the IP address after disabling the dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP). For identifying a specific terminal in a system, the device name can also be set by a user in this product.
VNC Server
To monitor and control PanelView Plus 7 terminals remotely, the availability of VNC (Virtually Network Computing) is very crucial. Through a VNC viewer, the terminal’s screen can be accessed from a personal computer or mobile (viewer) if the PC also has a VNC viewer installed. Likewise, instructions can also be issued from that remote site. Two PanelView Plus 7 terminals can also be interconnected through a VNC server. The user is also given the liberty to let the viewer just see the terminal display but not control the server terminal. This server connection is made secure through a password. Passwords for viewing and controlling the server terminal through the VNC server can be set up separately to ensure enhanced security. This feature is available for both the standard and performance models of PanelView Plus 7 terminals.
Web Server
Through the internet browser, HMI (Human Machine Interface) applications running on the terminal are monitored and controlled remotely. This being the key feature, it can’t be left unused. A web server lets a user bring this feature to work. Therefore, a web server is an extremely important feature of the PanelView Plus 7 terminal. By default, each terminal has one license embedded to enable one connection using Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). The web server on standard and performance models can be configured. This server can also be secured with a username and password so no unauthorized individual could access the browser and make changes. Anyhow, multiple usernames can also be entered into Admin users so each relevant person could use a web server with their credentials to maintain the identity and keep track of changes.
FTP Server
The need for file transfer for remote control of the terminal indicates the importance of the FTP (file transfer protocol) server in this product. Compatibility with FTP server to enable file transfer through web server is another embedded feature of standard and performance models of PanelView Plus 7 terminals. The FTP server in a PanelView Plus 7 terminal can be configured to be secure by providing a list of usernames or its access could be left unrestricted.
Backup and Restore Option
This application is developed so a user could restore any system image on the terminal afterward. It can be restored on the same terminal or other multiple terminals (providing ease for cloning). For this, the system image can be backed up on an SD card or a USB drive of a minimum of 1 GB or 2GB (for large system files). Not all types of SD cards are recommended to be used for all models of PanelView Plus 7 terminals to prevent corrupting data or devices. Catalog numbers of SD cards suitable for each terminal are mentioned below in the "Option of External Memory" section.
Hardware Monitoring System
This is where boundary lines between software systems and hardware get blurred. The software system in PanelView Plus 7 receives information about the health of the terminal’s hardware, displays it, and also takes action in case of need. This monitoring system shows all processes running on the terminal and the memory occupied by each of these. This system also has an event log of 1MB to show records of errors, warnings, and events. This system monitors battery voltage and creates an event in the log upon detecting low voltage. Similarly, temperature detection is made, and events of an unusually high temperature or failure of temperature sensor are logged into the event log.
Hardware Features
The standard model of PanelView Plus 7 features a touch screen with a 4-to-15-inch TFT color graphic display. It accepts 24V DC nominal but can operate in the range of 18 to 30V DC. It comes with 1 or 2 Ethernet ports. To connect the terminal with a host computer, the standard terminal is equipped with one high-speed USB 2.0 port. This model also has an SD card slot and status indicator to show status and fault conditions.
The performance model of PanelView Plus 7 has many hardware features distinct from a standard terminal. It is available in a TFT color graphic display in sizes ranging from 6.5 to 19 inches. All models have a touch screen, while few have other input options also. Its aluminum terminals can accept AC power also. Unlike a standard terminal, it always comes with two Ethernet ports. This performance terminal is equipped with two high-speed host ports, a non-functional device port, and an SD card slot. Its status indicators are just like standard terminals.
The outer surface of the PanelView Plus 7 terminal is resistant to chemicals. Some chemicals can cause discoloration of the outer surface, but no chemical can affect the performance of the terminal.
Back-up Power
Both standard and performance terminals of PanelView Plus 7 are equipped with a sealed Lithium battery. This battery gives backup power for static RAM and a real-time clock (with an accuracy of +/-2 minutes per month). The battery included in the package has a life of a minimum of 4 years at 25°C. Since the battery could expire before the terminal, it is fitted in a way that makes it easily replaceable.
Storage Memory
PanelView Plus 7 terminals feature 512MB RAM (Random Access Memory), and 512MB non-volatile storage memory. Both models have 80MB of free memory for user applications giving a tinge of flexibility and liberty to its users. To run some applications, files need to be downloaded from the non-volatile memory to the terminal first. Moreover, to keep memory free in the terminal, it is advised to delete log files from the storage which are generated by an application. PanelView Plus 7 terminal users are enabled to see overall memory space under use, available memory, and memory occupied by any application during runtime.
Option of External Memory
To store system and application files, one SD (Secure Digital) card slot is made available to provide extra storage. These cards are hot-swappable because they can be replaced or removed while the terminal is powered on or in operating condition. An SD card can be in a locked or unlocked state. The terminal will be able to only read data if the card will be in a locked state. To enable the terminal to read and write data, the card must be in an unlocked state.
The standard terminal of PanelView Plus 7 can be used with a range of cards, but Rockwell Automation recommends using an SD Card with Catalog numbers 1784-SD1 or 1784-SD2 to avoid corrupting the SD card, data, or device during use. For performance terminal, Rockwell Automation recommends using the 1784-SD1 (1 GB), 1784-SD2 (2 GB), 1784-SDHC8 (8 GB), 1784-SDHC32 (32 GB), and 2711C-RCSD.
Status Indicators
The PanelView Plus 7 terminals have two LEDs at their back to indicate system status. The STS indicator is a green LED, while the red LED is that of the ERR indicator.
During the startup process of a PanelView Plus 7 terminal, if both the STS and ERR indicators are flashing on and off, then the system is starting up. If the STS indicator is the only one flashing, then the startup is progressing. If both indicators are off, then the system is not starting and it is recommended to check the DC power requirements, as well as the power cables. If the ERR indicator is blinking, then there is a recoverable firmware error, in which you will need to reload the firmware. Alternatively, there could be a recoverable configuration failure, in which you will need to restore the terminal to factory default settings. If both indicators are on, then there is a fatal hardware error, in which the terminal will need replacing. If the ERR indicator is on but the STS indicator is blinking, then there is a fatal hardware error related to the display in which the terminal will need to be replaced, as well. After the startup process, if the ERR indicator is off and the STS indicator is on, then the terminal is operating normally.
Environmental Specifications
PanelView Plus 7 terminal needs specific temperature, humidity, and altitude requirements to operate in a hazard-free manner while ensuring the prolonged life of the product. These terminals need a 0 to 55°C temperature range during operation and -25 to 70°C during the non-operation phase (storage phase). The relative humidity of the atmosphere surrounding the terminal should be 5 to 95% without condensation. The operating altitude limit for these terminals is 2000 meters. To add further, these terminals are designed such that they can absorb a shock of 15g for 11ms during operation, as well as 30g for 11ms during its non-operational state.
