danielw@wyn386.UUCP (Daniel Wynalda) (06/13/89)
I am looking to develop an automatic production monitoring system to be used in our production plants. Currently, after looking around for about 2 months, there are NO systems that integrate with one of the devices our printing plants use ALOT. We have a densitometer that measures color densities and many other printing statistics. These devices have a serial output and can be polled for information via RS232 serial connections. I, at this point, can connect these devices to serial ports on a Unix machine and develop statistical programs to use the data these devices generate. However, this can be quite expensive. Dedicating serial ports to each of these devices also means that I must run a cable to EACH of the devices from the central Unix machine. Could someone give me some input on devices that might exist out there to interface such things in real time? I have heard of some automated systems that use multidrop type ports (these things generate VERY LITTLE I/O) or an interface called bitbus. I don't need to dedicate to any standard and will do my own serial development work. I am just looking for a cost effective way to monitor these systems and transfer the information to the main unit. Also, since these things can output information in real time (the system will also tie to electronic counters with serial output), is there a way to make sure the information would be spooled in the event of the main system being down (for maintenance, etc)? We run 24 hours/day and would need a system with ALOT of uptime. I am thinking of something that would input from many serial devices, merge them into a single serial flow with ID tags of some kind attached to the individual devices output (so I know where they came from). Then I could buffer the combination line in a serial buffer, and allow input into the Unix system when it desired to grab the next batch of input (usually ASAP, but occasionally as soon as it can get back to it). Any input is appreciated from people who have designed automated monitoring systems. Thanks for your help. Daniel Wynalda a -- Daniel Wynalda | Telephone: (616) 866-1561 X22 Ham: N8KUD Wynalda Litho Inc. | Network: danielw@wyn386.UUCP ..sharkey!wyn386!danielw 8221 Graphic Ind Pk. | Diskclaimer: If you find a disk with no label, it is Rockford, MI 49341 | the one I lost. I say what I say for me ONLY here.