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xCoupler Module Case History Bill Robertson, Controls Engineer “I'm not quite sure how I stumbled upon the xCoupler module, but it happened while I was searching the Internet for Rockwell Automation compatible vision equipment. The project I was developing required us to read an SKU number from a label on a box, count it, display it, calculate the efficiency based on the expected production, and then send it to an Oracle database. “I have never exchanged data with a database before and was concerned with IT's acceptance of my data. I wasn't sure how to organize the data much less what format to put it into. After reading the information on Online Development’s website, it seemed as if the xCoupler was going to make this a simple application. “I had a webinar with representatives from Online Development I so I could explain the device to my supervisors and IT. I then had a second webinar with members of supervision as well as IT and they all were very impressed with its capabilities. “After the webinar I was contacted by two supervisors and they requested follow up meetings with me to see what other applications the xCoupler could solve. The webinars were all I needed to get approval to order the xCoupler. “When the module is installed, it gives us the capability to collect production data from the ControlLogix processor directly to the Oracle database. This information will be case counts per SKU by hour, shift and day as well as efficiencies. It will also collect production data by product category. “Shortly after the installation we found that the HMI that was installed to enable SKU's for counting and calculations, was not always being used to update new products. This creates a large problem because when an SKU is not activated, the system will reject the case because it believes the SKU is not in production. “Currently the data is entered into a Manufacturing Portal and then must be duplicated at the HMI. By using the xCoupler to transfer data from the Oracle database to the ControlLogix processor, the data now only needs to be entered in one location. This will ensure that accurate product information is transferred to the ControlLogix processor and it will know what SKU's are active. All of this data transfer will be accomplished with very little, if any, ladder code, saving me time for other projects.”
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