Hello

Sorry in advance for the long post :)

I have made a project with a CPU 1513 and a TP 1200 Comfort Panel. The project is stand-alone unit that can tell when to do maintenance on our existing machines, by measuring with sensors. This unit is supposed to be sold in different countries and we are expecting to sell alot.

I have a collegue (an electrician) that is installing the project to the PLC and HMI when a customer has ordered a unit. But my company want to produce a couple at a time and then stock them so that they can ship them quickly.

My problem is that I use the time on the HMI, and because of the different timezones, this has to be changed for every project. As it is now, the PLC is on local time and then the HMI is syncronized to that. To do this my collegue needs to change the timezone in the 'properties' for the PLC before download and in the 'settings' on the HMI after download. But in this way they can't produce a lot and then stock them, because each project is project (country) dependent.

What will you do if is was you? Let the HMIs time be independent of the PLC and then let every customer change the time and timezone for their project. This will mean that they need to go into the HMIs settings and change it.

I need to find the best solution for the customer, but also for my collegue :)

Thank you

Best regards

Azkaban

But it is possible to change the local time of the PLC by a tag?

I thought about just using the HMI local time, and then make something on the HMI where the customer can change it. But is it not "safer" to use the PLC local time?

Hello.

Setting the timezone on the PLC by some code (as set by the HMI) is possible. There are instructions for it. To synchronise the PLC and HMI to each other is actually very easy.

A recent update publication might be helpful to you:
Time synchronization between an HMI and a SIMATIC PLC

BR

Hello Azkaban,

if you want to produce on stock and deliver anywhere, set the timezone of PLC and HMI to your local timezone and write in the manual that it must not be changed on the HMI.

In my opinion it is nice to have the possibility of setting the actual timezone, but it is not necessary. But it is helpful to have the same timezone on both devices.

Regards,

Frink

Hi Frink

That could be a good solution. And then just let them change the time with a field (independet of the timezone)?

Prof. Frink

Hello Azkaban,

if you want to produce on stock and deliver anywhere, set the timezone of PLC and HMI to your local timezone and write in the manual that it must not be changed on the HMI.

In my opinion it is nice to have the possibility of setting the actual timezone, but it is not necessary. But it is helpful to have the same timezone on both devices.

Regards,

Frink

 Hello Azkaban,

Azkaban

Hi Frink

That could be a good solution. And then just let them change the time with a field (independet of the timezone)?

correct.

You just have to be carefully when exchanging archive-files (I'm not sure if the timezone resp. time shift is stored there).

Regards,

Frink

 Hi Frink

So in theory it will work just like a normal analog watch, where you have to set it for summer/winter time. Am I not correct? :)

Prof. Frink

 Hello Azkaban,

Azkaban

Hi Frink

That could be a good solution. And then just let them change the time with a field (independet of the timezone)?

correct.

You just have to be carefully when exchanging archive-files (I'm not sure if the timezone resp. time shift is stored there).

Regards,

Frink

Azkaban

Do you know what is the difference between the system and local time?

 System time is Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) [sic] formally known as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT + 0). This time is set to the device. No local time adjustments are applied to it.

Local time includes time shift and daylight saving adjustment as required by the location.