freewayc

Thanks Michael.

I don't think I'm going to chance it. All I need is to have all the heavy fingers pointing in my direction because a major error brought the machine to a grinding halt. Thanks guys.

Hello everyone, does anyone know if I can add a routine and import add-on-instructions while live and in run mode to an RSLogix 5000 program? I am trying to add a ProSoft Modbus card along with it's add-on-intructions all while the machine is in operation. Thanks.

Ended up being a start inhibit bit in the parameter of the cart drive. (had another contol guy who had AB support contract make call and walked us through it.) It gave the appearance that the problem was a communication problem since it did not allow the drive to give any feedback to the controller. My thinking that neither drive was the issue was human error on my part. I think the guy that was helping me swapped the motor leads along wih the digital inputs and DPI 5 while troubleshooting. I don't know how that particular bit was changed from a one to a zero (parameter 277, fifth bit from the right if anyone cares) but I will rack it up to a power surge since I know the operator is not capable of making that change. Thanks for the help.

I really appreciate you response Ken and thanks for checking out the project. Yeah, I thought the drive must have gone south, however I swapped the encoder with the rotation axis and found it to be OK. Also, as I mentioned before, I swapped the adapter cards between the two axis and the problem moved with the 20-comm-e proving that the drive is not the problem. Simply swapping IP addresses moved the problem. I don't believe it could be a hardware problem. Is there any chance you could go into more detail with the way the datalink works? Specifically, how do I tell the drive to output the 32 bit data onto say output A1? Also, how do you then associate that data with (in this case) Cart_Drive, the RSLogix 5000 tag? After reading the entire adapter manual and drive manual I understand vaguelly how it works. Just not in detail. I think with that understanding, I could fiqure this out quickly. Thanks

OK, after a few hours working with the compactlogix and the Powerflex 70 drive I have come to these conclusion that: There is a problem with datalink communication between the cart drive and the control. Cart_Drive:I.UserDefinedData[2] and Cart_Drive:I.UserDefinedData[3] (control input datalink data from the drive) are devoid of any data at all times. I do not know how the datalink outputs on the drive (Data Out A1, Data In A2) aquire the encoder data and output the data to the control. I just have the 20-comm-e adapter book and the powerflex manual and it is just not enough information. Can anyone enlighten me to the datalink process with an encoder? Thanks,

Thanks for your thoughts on the problem fellas. One of the drives is functioning perfectly and the encoder data is being communicated with no problem. The parameters I set on the 20-comm-e are identical except obviously, the IP address. The encoder and encoder board have proven to be OK. I guess that leaves communication through datalink packets which I am new to and am trying to figure out how the drive recieves and interprets the packets and hoping that will lead to a solution. The funny thing is that the drive just stopped while the operator was using it and all the parameters seem to be intact. I could understand if they all were reset back to factory settings but one or two of them changed? Seems odd to me. That is, odd if that turns out to be the problem.

Here is the program. I now believe the way it works is that the ethernet is simply the communication medium and that ASCII is not being communicated or translated on either the drive or the PLC side. Kind of like a modulated carrier wave in radio correct? Or am I way off? Like I said, it appears the ethernet is communicating, and you can pull up drive data through RSLinx, but the encoder and all other program data cannot be seen in the program. One other thing which is probably due simply to inexperience, in the powerflex module properties, I cannot correlate either drive. When you hit "Connect to drive " in the properties, you can't see either of the drives when you try to browse to them. Sorry if my explanations are a bit naive. CART.ACD

One other piece of information, the encoder information is seen at the compactlogix for the working drive, but not on the non-working drive. Remember both drives will work depending on where the 20-comm-E adapter is placed. Also, I can simply change the static IP's between the two adapters to get the working drive to switch. (I hope that last statement made sense).

I have a cart with two axis powered by two Powerflex 70 VFD's with 20-COMM-E adapters and outfitted with encoder cards to read the location and speed of each axis. The drives are tied into (and controlled by) a compactlogix PLC. They are all connected through an ethernet switch and each have their own static IP adress assigned. In RSlinx, you can see each drive and they will respond to the drive information requests through the properties menu. The problem is that while one drive responds and the encoder data is transmitted to the compactlogix, the other drive will not respond to commands and the STS led does not change as it should to show you that it is being given a command. I swapped the 20-comm-e adapters between the drives and the problem moved with the adapters. I purchased and installed a new adapter thinking that would be the problem but to no avail. The PLC program is pretty simple and I can't see how anything could be the problem there. The drives are entirely controlled through the DPI port. Starting to get heat from the boss and I am nearly out of ideas. Anyone been down this road before and might be able to lend an idea?

That is a good idea (trying the old QP). It would be a heck of a coincidence that the new QP had a problem right after I programmed the PLC, although possible. I'm going to go ahead and purchase a new HMI if you guys care to give me a suggestion on which one to get. Thanks

It is a QPK2D100L2P-E. Thanks

Steve, you are close. 1. Communications between the QP and the PLC intemittently failed, then after some time, failed all together. 2. I ordered an PRE-programmed QP and it is a QPK2D100L2P-E. 3. I installed it and it worked great with a single menu and all menus in place, however, it still would not communicate with the IC693CPU352-DJ, 90-30 processor. I purchased a new processor just in case this was the problem. It stayed this way for several months waiting for plant shutdown when I would further troubleshoot and replace the processor if necessary. 4. At plant shutdown: I checked the cable with an ohmeter, and it was fine. 5. I attempted to communicate with the processor which I could not accomplish, this lead me believe that the RS-485 port was bad. 6. I replaced the processor. The QP cable is attached to the RS-485 port which is also the port I used for programming the new processor. 7. I programmed the processor through the RS-485 port. The one on the front of the processor, not through the power supply. 8. After programming using prodigy, I re-attached the QP cable. 9. Machine worked fine, communications between the PLC and the QP was restored however this is when I noticed that two menus were appearing at once. 10. You can see through the two menu mess that data is getting through from the PLC.

I did replace the Quickpanel with a new one that was ordered and programmed from the company that made the machine. I could go that route again, and my boss would like me to do that, but I would learn nothing. I am trying to keep him at bay so that I can attempt this on my own (with a some help from you guys!). So, I will buy a cable and the software and give this an attempt. Thanks for your help. Carl