Integrator's Guide - Process Explorer 2.0 Help

The primary focus of Process Explorer is collecting and organizing process data. The data is organized and stored into four table types: Alarm, Historical, Event and Real Time. Note that when a table is created by Process Explorer, the table name is prefixed with "USER_". For example, the Process Explorer table MyAlarms would be USER_MyAlarms in the database.


Alarm Tables monitor discrete points in the controller and log the start, end and duration of the alarm. Data in alarm tables is logged historically, and may be grouped by any Runtime data point, so that data may be grouped for a particular lot number, part number, recipe or operator code. The Alarm Viewer may be used to review alarm data in an organized manner.


Alarm Table Fields


  • PointValueID - integer - Primary Key


  • OPCPointID - integer - Identifies OPC point in the OPCPoints table.


  • StartDateTime - datetime - When the alarm went on.


  • EndDateTime - datetime - When the alarm went off.


  • RTTableGroupID - integer - Identifies which group the data record belongs.



Event Tables: Data is stored in Event tables when a particular event occurs. This event might be the end of a shift or a new operator logging onto the system. When an event occurs, the system can be configured to write up to three discrete acknowledgments back to the controller, which is typically used for resetting counters. The most common use is recording production numbers such as parts produced, rejects produced, amount of up time and amount of down time.



Event Table Fields


  • PointValueID - integer - Primary Key


  • OPCPointID - integer - Identifies OPC point in the OPCPoints table.


  • Quality - varchar 50 - OPC Quality returned from OPC server.


  • DateTimeStamp - datetime - When the record was created.


  • RTTableGroupID - integer - Identifies which group the data record belongs.


  • EventValue - numeric (18, 3) - Value of the OPC point at the time it was recorded.


  • EventValueScaled - numeric (18, 3) - Scaled value of above.



Real Time Tables are updated continuously with live process data. Records in Runtime tables are updated rather than inserted, so no historical information is kept. Typical uses are operator ID codes, lot numbers, part numbers, recipe information and binary points used for hand shaking in event tables.



Real Time Table Fields


  • PointValueID - integer - Primary Key


  • OPCPointID - integer - Identifies OPC point in the OPCPoints table.


  • RawValue - varchar 50 - Raw value of the OPC point at the last update.


  • ScaleValue - varchar 50 - Scaled value of above.


  • DateTimeStamp - datetime - Time the record was last updated.


  • Quality - tinyint - OPC Quality returned from OPC server.



Historical Tables maintain a history of the OPC points in the controller. New records are inserted in the table whenever an OPC data point exceeds a dead band limit. Typical uses are process variables such as pump speed, pressures and temperatures. Historical data may be grouped according to another Runtime point, so that data may be retrieved for a particular lot number, part number, recipe or operator code. Data may be plotted and printed with the Historian.



Historical Table Fields


  • PointValueID - integer - Primary Key


  • OPCPointID - integer - Identifies OPC point in the OPCPoints table.


  • Quality - varchar 50 - OPC Quality returned from OPC server.


  • HistValue - numeric (18, 3) - Value of the OPC point for this record.


  • HistValueScaled - numeric (18, 3) - Scaled value of the OPC point for this record.


  • DateTimeStamp - datetime - Date and time the record was created.


  • ExtDateTimeStamp - datetime - Date and time the HistValue moved out of the dead band.


  • RTTableGroupID - integer - Identifies which group the data record belongs.


Related to all of the above data tables is the OPCPoints table. This is where information related to the particular OPC point in question is kept.



OPCPoints Table Fields


  • OPCPointID - integer - Primary key.


  • RTTableID - integer - Identifies the table where the data for this OPC point is kept.


  • OPCIndex - integer - Numerical index used for OPC item arrays.


  • TagName - varchar 50 - Process Explorer internal tag name.


  • Description - varchar 50 - Description of the OPC point.


  • Type - varchar 50 - Type of data point, discrete, integer, etc.


  • OPCTagName - varchar 50 - OPC tag name required by the OPC server.


  • ScaleFactor - real - Scale factor to be applied when the data is recorded.


  • DeadBand - real - Dead band for recording historical information.


  • MachineStop - tinyint - Indicates that a discrete point is a machine stop.


  • FailedPoint - tinyint - Indicates that the OPC point failed to link to the OPC server.