How DBDOC Helps with a Configuration Upgrade

While you are converting, you can maintain a document where the modules that are converted to Composer are built from Composer, but the others still show their WinCAD or CADEWS source.

DBDOC identifies many system issues, so you can clean them up and avoid copying them into the new system.

With DBDOC, you can:

1. Capture a picture of the old system configuration.
2. Easily sort out issues that exist in the old system.
3. Reduce the amount of training necessary.
4. Support the system more effectively while training.
5. Have a good picture of the old system while training on new techniques.

Use DBDOC to capture a picture your system before you start your conversion to make the conversion and checking of the new system easier.

If you are converting from WinCAD/CADEWS to Composer, the old version can be used until the Composer version of the module is completely checked out. A build that archives what your system looked like under WinCAD is much easier to access for checking purposes than WinCAD or DOS CADEWS itself, and everyone involved in the project can have this picture. Step by step, you can bring modules converted to Composer into the DBDOC system, replacing the WinCAD versions.

DBDOC checks the INFI-90 system and identifies configuration issues that ought to be tidied up before conversion, or directly afterward. Using DBDOC to tidy your system before conversion makes post-conversion clean up much easier.

DBDOC makes specific checks for issues that will affect you conversion, such as:

1. Use DBDOC to identify and correct duplicate output references before conversion. Uncorrected, they can cause "Copy 1" type text after you conversion, forcing you to look at each instance individually to clean them up.
2. DBDOC's new feature showing "No OREF Connection" allows you to find all the places that need an output reference created.
3. The report of input blocks that import different blocks in Composer than in WinCAD may identify problems for you.

Composer is a very powerful configuration system - but it takes significant training to become a proficient and safe user. For many, the only application of this training is to be able to find problems and fix them. Using the powerful ABB tools opens up the danger of logic being changed inadvertently. Why send people to costly training that is intended primarily for people who make configuration changes? The cost of installing DBDOC throughout your plant is about the cost of one week of ABB training.

With DBDOC, you can significantly reduce the amount of training needed in order to accomplish faultfinding. Because DBDOC is strictly a read-only system, even inexperienced people can safely use DBDOC for troubleshooting, with no fear of accidentally changing something in the system.

If your experts have a copy of DBDOC on a laptop when they are away for training, they can assist people back at the plant much more easily. Because their access is read-only, they cannot make any changes, but can advise the plant.

When people are trying to understand what they are being taught about Composer, it is very useful to be able to relate the new knowledge being presented to what they know from the existing system.

DBDOC allows them to study Composer while seeing the WinCAD picture, helping make the training more effective, especially when training away from the plant.

Contact us for more information on how DBDOC can help you during conversion.

Learn about how DBDOC can help with your graphics upgrade.