Getting Started MTConnect

The following guide shows you the easy steps to define the MTConnect schema that can be used to read the possible data items and automatically create OAS Tags to be used with live update.

You can view the MTConnect Video to familiarize yourself with the following steps to setup MTConnect communications.

  • 00:00 – Introduction
  • 00:12 – How to use MT Connect to work with OAS
  • 00:40 – Verify if you have a valid license
  • 00:52 – Select Network Node
  • 01:05 – Update your license
  • 01:17 – Add a driver for MTConnect
  • 02:25 – Configure Tags
  • 03:01 – Record Data Values
  • 03:36 – Bulk Updates
  • 03:45 – Programmatically Define Tags and Drivers
  • 03:53 – Methods Information
  • 04:10 – Save New Driver and Tags
  • 04:39 – Tutorial

Use the following steps to become familiar with the easy setup.

Step 1

OASStart Configure OAS application from the program group Open Automation Software.

 

Step 2

Select Configure-License and verify that MTConnect is one of the available Drivers in the lower left of the form.  If you do not see MTConnect available contact support@oasiot.com to update your license.

Drivers

Note: You will need to be running Open Automation Software Version 14.0.0.30 or greater to support MTConnect communications.  You can download the latest version at www.openautomationsoftware.com/downloads/open-automation-software/

Step 3

Select Configure-Drivers.

Configure Drivers

Step 4

Select localhost or the remote service you wish to modify with the Select button to the right of the Network Node list.

Network Node

Note: Optionally select the Live Data Cloud node if you are hosting MTConnect data over the Internet with a standard Internet connection.

Step 5

Enter a meaningful Driver Interface Name that you will refer to this physical connection when defining Tags with a MTConnect Data Source.

Set the Driver to MTConnect.

Leave Enable and Add Tags Automatically enabled.

Specify the Live Data Url for the MTConnect stream.

MTConnect Driver Interface

Optionally define a secondary failover of data stream if the primary data stream fails with the property Enable Failover.


If both the primary and secondary device are offline the Return to Online settings determines the retry frequency.

View Driver Interface Failover for more information and and video demonstrating communications failover.

Step 6

Select the Add button in the lower part of the form to add the Driver Interface as an available selection when defining Tags in the next step.

Add Driver

Note: If you need to define several Driver Interfaces you can use the CSV Export and CSV Import on the toolbar in the upper right together with Microsoft Excel.

Step 7

Select Configure-Tags.

Configure Tags

Select localhost or the remote service you wish to modify with the Select button to the right of the Network Node list.

Network Node

Note: Optionally select the Live Data Cloud node if you are hosting MTConnect data over the Internet with a standard Internet connection.

Step 8

With the OAS Engine in Runtime and the Driver Interface property Add Tags Automatically is enabled all of the possible MTConnect data items will be added under a Tag Group with the same name as the Driver Interface specified.

MTConnect Tags

Expand the tag group and sub groups to see all tags added.

MTConnect Tag List

If the Tag MTConnect Data Type is set to DataItem and the data stream has sent a value for the Id the current value will appear with Good Quality.

MTConnect Tag

Step 9

You can optionally enable transaction logging for MTConnect communications to record all value changes to text files.

To record all data values for all Ids received from the data stream select Configure-Options and click the Network Node Select to then view the System Logging tab and enable the property Log MTConnect Communications and set the Transaction Log Path of where the files will be placed.

MTConnect Transaction Logging

Step 10

You can change the tag names of the OAS Tags if the automated creation does not suite your desired tag name.

Use the CSV Export and CSV Import on the toolbar in the upper right together with Microsoft Excel. to change multiple Tags.

Note: You can also programmatically define Tags and Drivers using the OASConfig or OPCSystems .NET component with the TagCSVImport and DriverInterfaceCSVImport methods or the REST API.

Step 11

Select the Save button on the toolbar at the top.

Save Button

Step 12

Create a directory on the local C: drive with the name OASDemo.

Save the file DemoTags.tags in the directory C:\OASDemo.

Save Tags

Step 13

Under Configure – Options set the Default Tag Configuration File so when the computer restarts the tag file will automatically be loaded.