EZ Touch and EZ CE Touchpanel HMIs have the same mechanical hardware, display and thus the same mounting dimensions. The only difference is the motherboard that changes from the Cold fire processor in EZ Touch to Alchemy processor in the EZ CE Touchpanel. The two boards have been carefully designed to place the user connectors in the same spot. Even the option board for hardware or parallel protocols such as DH+, Modbus Plus, DeviceNet, Profibus, CC Link etc. mounts to the same connector and in the same location. This has been done to give you total flexibility in choosing between a dedicated operating system or a Windows CE operating system. Not only the initial choice has flexibility, you have the ultimate flexibility in switching between the two platforms at any point in your machine/process development, deployment and operation. In fact, we can swap out your motherboards at any point in time for a small fee.
The EZCE Touchpanel is
the only HMI available
that can run an application
developed on a dedicated
HMI like EZ Touchpanel to run
on this Windows CE open
platform panel. Usually
you have to convert or
translate your dedicated
HMI application, if at all
possible, to the new panel
such as migrating from
QuickPanel to QuickPanel
View or Panelview
standard to Panelview
plus. It takes hours to
translate and make sure
that all operators have been
properly converted. Not so
with the EZ family. Since
we have had full control of
the hardware, firmware and
software of the EZ family
of PLC Touchpanels,
interoperability is a cinch
for us!
EZ CE Touchpanels are available at an incredible starting price of $499. The programming software of EZ Touchpanel and EZ CE Touchpanel is same. The application developed on EZ Touchpanel can be used for EZ CE Touchpanel. If the user manufactures a number of machines, the requirement of the touchpanel may vary from 6" to 10" etc. For this, the user need not change his program. The same application developed on 6" EZ Touchpanel / 6" EZ CE Touchpanel can be used on 10" EZ Touchpanel / 10" EZ CE Touchpanel.
How to Choose between Dedicated Operating System and Windows CE Platform
Windows world has its own advantages as well as challenges. On one hand, the openness of the Windows platform allows great connectivity
between the Touchpanel and the rest of the world, from simple features like connection to any printer, to full internet browsing
capability. On the other hand, the same openness may result in unwanted system intrusions like viruses. Windows platform is inherently needs a much larger memory as well as it is slower to boot-up and respond as compared
to a dedicated HMI. Windows CE also gives the capability of having MicroSoft Viewers as such Pdf, Xcel etc. You can record and play a training video on this panel. EZ CE also has the capability of Quik Edit right on the screen. EZDaq, data acquisition, can also run locally on the panel. It can also do multitasking such as becoming a web-client at the same time it is talking to a PLC. For all these features, the EZ CE Touch panel also costs a little more. The good news from EZ Automation is that we make both options available to you, and you as the customer
can make the ultimate decision which way to go. Here is a summary for you to consider:
|
|
|
| • Simple, fast, dedicated function hardware and software, uses less memory and has been a tested and proven product since 2001, and also costs a little less. |
|
• Higher complexity, high end Windows features, a little slower, uses more memory, and costs a little more, introduced in Jan 2005 |
| • Dedicated 32 bit 40 MHz Cold fire
processor |
|
• Windows CE 32 bit 333 MHz Alchemy Processor |
| • Dedicated operating system needs only
512 KB, and is really fast |
|
• Windows CE OS, 16-22 MB, a little slower |
| • Faster Response time for touch input,
typical 0.5 to 0.75 seconds |
|
• A little slower response time for touch input, .75 to 1 seconds |
• Not subject to hardware or software
tampering
|
|
• It is a computer, even though restricted. |
| • No boot-up, EZier to set-up |
|
• Slightly more involved start-up |
| • Trending of data, only 2M memory. |
|
• Bigger memory for data trending and storage,
expandable to 256 MB. |
| • Low end print functions |
|
• Windows type Print options |
| • No Internet Browsers |
|
• Internet Browsers |
| • Not Available |
|
• Quik-Edit right on the screen |
| • Not Available |
|
• Play Training/Maintenance Video |
| • Not Available |
|
• Multi-Tasking such as Web-client |
| • No File Viewers |
|
• PDF, X-Cel, Word, MPEG, Text, File Viewers |
| • Lower Cost |
• About $100 higher in cost |
| Model |
EZTouch
Enhanced |
EZCE
TouchPanel |
| 6" White on Blue |
$349 |
$499 |
| 8" TFT |
$999 |
$1029 |
| 10"TFT |
$1599 |
$1699 |
|
|
| |
|
| |
