FactoryTalk Historian as a Relational Database

[andrewhall]

We are a water/wastewater plant, collecting realtime and manually entered data. We have been using FactoryTalk Historian (OSI PI) for real time data collection and a homemade MySQL database with an Access frontend for manually entered data.

We use Excel for report generation and data access (PI datalink and MS Query).

In an effort to reduce complexity and databases I would like to consolidate the two data sources into one and use FactoryTalk Historian for both types of data. Does anyone have experience with this type of solution? Is it even possible?

Some questions/comments i've been mulling over.
1. An off the shelf LIMS is more appropriate but i would like to reduce applications/data sources.
2. With increased employee turnover, training and expertise is problematic. A single vendor i.e. a single support phone call eliminates complexity.
3. Current reports would be modified to use PI Datalink only.
4. About a million other questions.

Thanks.

 

[Ken Moore]

What you want to do is possible. If you only need to enter in one or two data points, you can do it with Excel via data link.
At a previous employer, we had one client that entered all their "LIMS" data into PI. They hired an OSI-PI "integrator", who wrote a custom front end for them.
They also built many custom reports as well.
As a previous PI administrator, I could muddle my way through some off it, but the guys that do it full time are much better and faster.
Try searching the web for OSI-PI manual entry. You could also contact PI and see if they recommend someone in your area.

Here is the first hit on my search: PI Manual Logger - Overview

 

[tlf30]

As part of FTHistorian, there is a PI product called PI Asset Framework. It has the functionality that you are looking for.

 

[andrewhall]

Thank you for your responses. I will research both solutions.