Factorylink Dealers?

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Thread Starter

KSR Bhat

We are using 2 copies of Monitor Pro V7 (Factorylink) servers and 3 clients, purchased 4 years back from AEG Schnieder. We want to upgrade the same to latest version. Now AEG is not supporting the software, neither they are the dealing with the software. I understand Seimens also stopped shipping Factorylink versions. Any one knows, who deals with Factorylink Now? Thanks in advance.
 
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Paul Edwards

Factorylink is now obsolete. The only place you can get it from is Siemens and if they won't sell you the last version (8.01 I think) then you will be lucky to get it anywhere else.

You really need to think about migrating to currently supported SCADA software. I know Wonderware will give you a good discount (up to 50%) for upgrading from a competitors product and I am sure most others will do that.

Of course most of the cost will be the engineering effort.
 
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Benoit Galarneau

Factory Link was made by USData, USData became UGS, then UGS is now part of Siemens. Maybe Siemens will accept to sell you Factory Link licenses but without any technical support... If not, they probably have a migration plan in witch they can help you migrate you application to another Siemens HMI software.

Your last option is to rewrite all your project with another HMI software (Exporting some configuration tables like Tags, PLC Comm. tables, alarms, etc. may gain you some time, but as far as i know you will have to restart graphics from scratch.)
 
Go to this web site and fill in the details of your request. You will be contacted shortly by the appropriate individual within Siemens.

http://www.siemens.ca/web/portal/en...Centre/Pages/customer_interaction_centre.aspx

You can still buy FactoryLink, the latest version is 8.05. However, Siemens has migration tools in place that can migrate upto 95% of your appliation for a fixed rate (typically $2000-$8000) and they have very attractive discounts on licences for migration clients as well to WinCC.
 
Hi Bhat,

As others have mentioned Factory Link versions have been declared obsolete. There is another alternative though, other than converting to WINCC. Another scada software came up with an engine to convert FL application to their application type with a minimum of rework. Even graphics are automatically converted !!

You can learn more at www.pcvuesolutions.com or contact me for more info : c.vilenstein at gmail dot com.

Regards.
 
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Gustavo A. Valero P.

Hi,
You can buy a new version of FactoryLink or migrate your Monitor Pro system to FL 8 if you want. Siemens will still sell and support FactoryLink system until 2012.

If you need to find a dealer or system integrator near to you I could help you. Just tell me where you are and/or your email and I will tell you the person you could call.

Even, I could be that person! jeje. I have almost 16 years working with FL since it belonged to USDATA, later Tecnomatix, UGS and now Siemens.

Options to migrate your FL app to other SCADA software? According to my knowledge and what I have seen, the options are WinCC, PCVue and Citect in that order.

The big problem with any migration or SCADA you choose to replace FL is the FL architecture, FL is based on the TASK and most SCADA are based on the TAG and this a big problem to migrate the tasks or programs done using the FL philosophy. To me, the SCADA based on Tasks are better than which based on Tags.

The worst part will be the migration of the tasks associated to databases. In my humble opinion, no SCADA handles and works the DBs as FL can do. Years ago I talked about it with some Siemens guys and they recognized that although WinCC can work and handle DBs well, they can't compete with FL in this area.

Unfortunately, FL was a part of UGS products when Siemens bought that company and was victim of Siemens' businesses and their needs.

FactoryLink is almost out of market due to a Siemens decision, not for its performance, flexibility or capacity to do its job.

Best regards.

Saludos desde Venezuela.

Gustavo A. Valero P.

 
What do you intend to gain by an upgrade? I doubt there are programmers even looking at the Factorylink code seriously enough to add anything that justifies spending money on upgrade.
 
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Ewa Wozniakowska

I suggest switching to the HMI/SCADA system zenon made by Copadata. Copadata provides a special Wizard which allows you to switch easily from FactoryLink to zenon. The zenon software imports FactoryLink templates, mimics and bitmaps. Factory Link symbols are imported as well. Moreover: zenon functions with any hardware and Windows operating system; it is open to other applications and with zenon you have one single tool for all platforms and modules.
 
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