davefirewalker

I have just been given a "project".....to rewrite the app on an old Hitech pws3120. I have downloaded the software ADP v3.2 which seems to be the right one...ADP v6 doesnt list the screen I have written the program, compiled it, simulated it offline and connected my pc to the plc and simulated online.........All OK Now I must be missing something, because for the life of me I CANNOT download the program to the HMI. I have uploaded the old program to the pc so the cable must be ok. I have never come across anything so seemingly easy yet so difficult to do. The compiled file is stored as (name).v3f yet the downloaded program is stored as (name).ap1 and (name).ap2 with no explanation of how to get from one to the other The manual is a bit vague and just mentions that it should be compiled and then uploaded.....I WISH A look through the manual also brought up this gem..... ADP will upload the application from HMI to PC and save it as a "*. AP1" or “ *.AP2” file . ADP cannot open or edit files of these types. So it seems that you cannot edit an existing file !!! edit... just tried downloading the original *.ap1 file to the hmi ........comms timeout ??? I then attempted to download the previous recipe files...success ??? every attempt at uploading or downloading is OK apart from the main app. I'm pretty sure its not the cable or port settings, all downloads and uploads are ok (apart from main app) on the screen there are various options....upload application, download application, upload recipes, download recipes etc these are duplicated on the program ....so to upload an app you press upload and the click upload from the file menu on the pc. on the pc there is an option to upload / download source..... but no such option on the screen. clicking either of these doesnt work....comms timeout All my attempts at googling have brought me to the conclusion that it is either a closely guarded secret or that no-one really knows how to do it !!! Basically I need to know how to get my compiled source (.v3f) into the hmi....... I'm just totally lost.....give me Omron or AB anytime. I hope that someone on here has the knowledge that would help me.......(please) Dave

Hi I have a program running that requires a stepper to be driven infrequently the stepper only has to move from 0-180 degrees or anywhere in between. The program illustrated is not the whole program it's just the stepper part of it. It just supplies the required number of pulses taken from a HMI, and some sort of direction info (up or down) the reason I wanted it in a subroutine was that nothing else needs to run while the stepper part is running. and I wanted the stepper to move to its position as quickly as possible.....in fact i wanted the stepper program to finish before anything else COULD run. And please be aware I am not an expert PLC programmer, i dont do this for a living. This is a personal project, made up from bits and pieces I've scrounged. I will look at your advice and see if there is anyway i can incorporate it in a rewrite thanks Dave

Ok guys next question........ how do I keep it inside the subroutine until it's finished...ie until the equals flag is set.... would a jump instruction do it ? Dave

Yeah ....ive just had a read of that may cause problems or not, i dont know Its not an industrial solution I'm after, its for a personal project, so a bit of inaccuracy can be put up with. Anyway is the coding any good? will it work? could it be done better? rgds Dave

Ok guys just redone it..... i wanted to use the < flag for an output anyway (direction), so all flags have gone to spare outputs (just in case) I have got rid of the .02 s pulse and replaced it with two timers Its not as simple or as elegant....in fact it is starting to grow........ Anways...any thoughts or has anyone ANY better ideas rgds Dave

Would this work...I cant test it as yet....any ideas this section in a subroutine compare looks at hmi input and counter, sets flag if <=> pulse output 11.00 (transitor) (.002s), and inc or dec reversible counter depending on flag, continues until = any mods or comments rgds Dave

Thanks matey :) Dave

This is the path I am now exploring, I intend to use compare, and use the flag bits to either inc or dec a reversible counter along with the output pulses until the = flag bit is true let you know how i get on ps.......Can compare be used permanantly ON (inside a subroutine) or does it have to "clocked" or "pulsed" rgds Dave

Anyone else ??? please Dave

thanks for the input...... I'm not giving up at all developing a pulse train would never be the problem (I think). The problem i seem to have is translating the input from the hmi to a specific pulse train ie if the hmi was set to 45...... then to develop the required amount of pulses (45) to the stepper. then to be able to increment it by a specified amount ie an extra (+n or - n etc). Do I do a compare and take away the initial # and add the extra pulses, or do a reset and add the new whole? you could look at this application as maybe a volume control or a manual valve with a 180deg rotation. It needs to be set at a certain positon once, them maybe adjusted or "jogged", then reset a bit later on to a different position. I could do this manually...but it is in an inaccessable place :( how do i get a specific no of pulses to the stepper? thats the problem ! this is no longer looking that easy hope someone can help rgds Dave

thanks BNB I didnt think it would be as simple as I thought. I am doing this on a bit of a budget....so buying new is not an option. I already had to hand the stuff ive got. Is there anyway to send the required pulse trains from the transitor expansion, I dont need the motor to run continuously. I only need it the stepper to move from 0 to a given spot then stop. It doesnt have to do this very quickly either upto 30s would be fine. I will have a look at the manual suggested (edit) Just had a look at section 2.5......seems to deal with the transitor option only...:( ah well....... will keep on trying, might come up with something rgds Dave

Hi guys.... Someone out there will probably shoot me down in flames, I've seen requests for code being treated with derision, but I will ask the question anyway. Firstly I do not work in plc's though I do have some (very small) experience, mainly with allen bradley I am trying to develop a personal application (not commercial) which seems to be ok, until I hit a small problem. I need to drive a stepper motor, I have NO experience of this at all !!! I have scavanged a few units, to put together The units I have are an omron cpm-2a relay output version. (no good for stepper control) and a 20 IO transistor expansion (maybe ok for stepper) Just managed to get a NT21 touchscreen off ebay to put with it. Ok...... All the programming is done and works OK..Ive read the manual (such as it is) :( the touchscreen is fine...no probs there and after a few weeks of trying it all works fine NOW THEN... the stepper control my problem I need to use a stepper motor to rotate to a set position between 0 -180 degrees taking its position input from the nt21. I can sort out the adressing of the nt21 its just the programming of the cpm-2 I need help with. I have a stepper and a driver card for it. my question.... how do I send the train of pulses to the stepper, for example if I wanted it the motor to be half way I would send one train of n pulses, then if I wanted to increase the position do I either just send the extra pulses or return the motor to "0" and then send N+extra. I know where "0" is by a limit switch For example. I have a "thumbwheel" on the nt21 (0-100). I input 45 and the motor receives 45 steps, later I want to increase this to 75. Then I may want to fine tune this by 1or 2 steps. this only has to happen very infrequently, the motor position is not constantly changing an one position may be ok for a few hours before it has to change, then it may be either up or down, a few degrees or more. I understand how the nt21 communicates with the cpm2a and have set aside a memory area for this. i am stuck on how to access the memory area and give that train of pulse to the stepper I suppose i am asking how to read a memory area, compare it and fire the results to a loaded shift register. Then use the shift register to turn an output on/off a certain number of times. I can probably work it out given time....but some help or a quick sample to look at may help. I am not asking for someone to write the entire thing, but just to put me on the right path. Please be aware that I am not too technical, but I believe that any problem can be surmounted, looking at an example often gives you clues how to do it hope someone can help, rgds Dave

Hi again....... It seems that you were right !!!!! THANK YOU it was a case of first time Omron use and PANIC (I normally use AB or GE ) I must admit however that the manuals are about as clear as mud and not easy to follow. I am used to a more intuitive approach. I'm afraid that Omron will not be my PLC of choice. They seem to have a philosophy of "why make things easy when with a bit of thought you can make it almost impossible" However that said and with your help I seem to be about half way there Thank you again !! best rgds Dave

Hi .... I understand the difficulties of distance fault finding and correct info... Ok from the the start Just in the process of installing a new plc omrom cpm2a for a simple (ish) machine customer thought it would be nice to have a touchscreen instead of kepads thumb whels etc bought plc and new NT21 Apparently from what I can gather before I can upload my screens I need to upload the system tool However even if this is not the case I still can't communicate with the PT The NT21 is brand new ...never been programmed to recap and in answer to your questions 1 I have NTST v4.7 2 I believe that I have to load the system first 3 I am not trying to load the app yet (besides it wont let me....) 4 I have a standard serial port on a desktop running windows XP fully updated 5 the PT is NT21-ST121-E thanks for your help Dave

Hi.... I am using the cable that Omron supplied XW2Z-200S-CV.. dont know if it is ok it programs the CPM2A ok tried the memory switches tried setting the handshake on the com port from none to hardware and xon/xoff and back again........ will RTFM All posts so far Have been helpfull even if not solving the problem, it is helping me to learn about this beast rgds Dave