Nova5

MrPLC Member
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Everything posted by Nova5

  1. AB PCCC is the name AB uses for their Ethernet driver. Maybe of use. http://www.control.com/thread/1289369656
  2. Does Siemens have a free version of their programming software that works on anything above WinXP? What I can find refuses to work on anything more capable than WinXP 32bit. Can't use compatibility modes to make it work. Would rather not waste the harddrive space a virtual machine will absorb if I can avoid it. AB/Rockwell has RSLogix MicroLite.
  3. HMI Comms

    Custom made cables can be a pain. Crimp connections not fully compressed. a wire slips out of order and is crossed with another, wires not deep enough into the crimp connector to mate up..
  4. The negative to the RDP is that it locks the operator terminal when the remote user logs in. VNC would be the better option for that function, but that is interactive.
  5. PLC and HMI access remotely

    Look into VPN. If this system is connected to a larger network under IT depts control, they should be able to provide a VPN connection to you if you're a regular employee for them which will bring you into the network as if you were on site. Mid last year I helped install a skid which separated drudge materials from water, and sends the water down a industrial drain. The system is connected but isolated from a larger IT network. They created a V-Lan for me with a fixed real world IP address, I installed a VPN router into the system along with the PLC and HMI pc. I can log in via VPN and interact with the PLC live and reprogram it as needed (AB/Rockwell Micrologix 1400) and a windows pc who's shell is the HMI program which I can also update any time I need, log in to the admin account to get a real windows interface, kill the HMI, install the new version and reboot it. It will fire up into the HMI with no way to access the windows shell (it never starts the windows GUI, no keyboard or mouse either. Touchscreen). While they didn't provide me a VPN connection because it was against policy for their network (outside contractor here, so I do not blame them at all on that) they gave me what I needed to make it work to the satisfaction of the company that contracted me. The router I specced and was used is a NetGear FVS318G. VPN = almost as good as being there. Just can't see the equipment physically.
  6. I have been asked to disable/lockout the PLC from operating on a deployed system. Doing so will cause no operator safety problems as this is simply a materials reclamation/filtering system that sits in a corner on its own. Is there a way to remotely lock it from operation without editing / removing the program? Remote Program and other such modes won't work as the operator could open the wall box and simply set it back to Run.
  7. That is the simplest way and I had thought of that, I was attempting to avoid any program edits. It would require two switches (I can use the same Binary bit) to lock out the Auto and Manual modes. I have the current version of the program stored locally and remotely. I think the best will be to load a blank program into the PLC.
  8. I am not on-site. the 1400 has a built-in diagnostic LCD display and a few controls to switch its modes and check actual hard input/output states. So any mode I put it in (Program/Remote Program/etc) can be changed from the PLCs face itself. If Major Fault can't be cleared from the PLCs own buttons then it may work. VIA VPN I can hook into the network the PLC is on and reprogram/alter it as necessary from my development laptop. I can't do physical things to it, but I can do software.
  9. I suspect to many of us understand this.. I'm new to PLCs/HMIs/etc. But I have done Systems support/Network Management. same misery applies.
  10. Custom HMI App on an iPad or Tablet PC

    Windows Tablets would be your best bet due to them running actual Windows OS which has HMI packages readily available. Supposing you avoid the RT (Ready to Trash) line of tablets.
  11. PLC Advice needed!

    AdvancedHMI is a free one programmed and designed within Visual Basic. They have some drivers and similar for talking to PLCs. Not all PLCs are supported.
  12. Look at EasTech Flow Controls. A company I helped put a independent Skid into is using a pair of them for industrial waste tracking/reporting. The most I have to do with the flow meters (they've been installed for years) is extract the totalized flow and display it on the HMI and send it out in an email.
  13. System: EasTech Flowcontrols : Vantage 2220 (RS485 ModbusRTU http://www.eastechflow.com/Vantage2200.asp) Windows 7 USB-RS485 comms device. (http://www.amazon.com/GearMo%C2%AE-RS485-RS422-Converter-Terminals/dp/B005CPI0JQ/) PeakHMI for the HMI. Connected by CAT5E wiring. Used wires from 3 separate pairs negate crosstalk/communication corruption. Wire length is about 60ft. EasTech tells me their device is Big Endian 4321, IEEE Single Precision Floating Point. PeakHMI is configured to match what I have been told by EasTech. Now about the images.. Meter Disp.. is the Physical Meter's Display according to the Vantage DDS software reading. Meter DIsp.png was taken before starting the HMI and setting up the data screen. Meter Disp 2.png was after Capture 3. Capture's 1-3 are the data read by the HMI from the meter. 3 ranges are being read 400011-400012 (S1UINT11) 400016-400017 (S1UINT16) (EasTech wanted me to try this one, the data moves around radically, so its probably not useful other than its already there in the image for them) 400017-400018 (S1UINT) Order of screens from left to right.. Data Table. Unsigned Integer, Integer, Float. What I am trying to determine is if the data is being read right and it doesn't seem to be as no number remotely matches the meter disp numbers.. EasTech's folks are looking over the images as well, just them them these today.. Figured there would be a good chance here some would have a bright idea.. From what I've read 5 vs 6 digit Modbus Addressing is no different until you cross the 9999 number for the lead register set your accessing. 49999 and 409999 is the same, is my understanding of that correct? HMI uses 6 Digit, the memory map EasTech sent me uses 5 Digit. Part of the Memory Map for the FlowMeter.., I've tried to rebuild the table somewhat. "Modbus Address" "Hex Modbus Address" "Variables" "# Bytes" "Description" -----------------------------------------"Format" 40011 ----------------------#NAME? -----------------Flow1 -------- 4 -------Flow Channel1 --------------------------------------- IEEE 40012 ----------------------#NAME? 40013 ----------------------#NAME? -----------------Flow2 -------- 4 ------- Flow Channel2--------------------------------------- IEEE 40014 ----------------------#NAME? 40015 ----------------------#NAME? -----------------FlowSum ---- 4 ------- Flow1 + Flow2 -------------------------------------- IEEE 40016 ----------------------#NAME? 40017 ----------------------#NAME? -----------------TotalCnt1---- 4 ------- Totalizer #1 Count (Most Sign.) --------------- HEX 40018 ----------------------#NAME? -----------------(Least Sign.) 40019 ----------------------#NAME? -----------------TotalCnt2 --- 4 ------- Totalizer #2 Count --------------------------------- HEX 40020 ----------------------#NAME?
  14. ModbusRTU fun...

    Looking at it and working the numbers.. the 2 16bit binary numbers can be used in the way EasTech showed..or just use the full 32bit number. Since a single 16bit binary number has a total value of 65535 the number stored in the lead 16bits of a 32bit number CAN be used as a multiplier of 65536(Maximum value of a 16 bit binary number +1 ). Although that is a bit silly once I looked at it.. thats the normal action of a 32bit binary number isn't it? every time the lead 16 increases by 1 65536 counts have gone through the tail 16bits, "resetting" all bits to 0's and incrementing the lead 16 by 1. reading it as a 32bit unsigned integer will always result in the same number as doing the math they showed.. Since I got proper data I don't need to pull any trickery, simpler is better.
  15. ModbusRTU fun...

    Set it to BE3412 and reads the Unsigned Int correctly. so either that data field is stored as BE3412(wouldn't be sensible to mix Endian types) or the HMI has a problem reading the incoming data from that device properly.
  16. ModbusRTU fun...

    I have found that the data I need is in Totalizer 1(T2 is unused at this location), which claims to be a HEX data format. It looks like its just a decimal number stored in 32bits, so Unsigned Integer SHOULD be what I use, however that doesn't come through right. Floating point is going to eventually fail as a flow totalizer.. larger the number, lower the resolution. Try to add 100 Gallons to a value that will only notice 1000, it won't change. I have attached the Modbus info I got from them. none of the Modbus data that has come through to PeakHMI has made much sense, I could never make anything match up. PeakHMI has these options for the data type.. Float Integer Unsigned Integer Small BCD Default Small = Signed Short Integer Default = Unsigned Short Integer Under its port settings I can set BE 4321 BE 3412 LE 1234 LE 2143 I have it set as BE 4321 according the settings in peakhmi. I'm going to experiment with setting it to other byte orders to see what results I get. 2200 series modbus.pdf 2200modbus.pdf
  17. ModbusRTU fun...

    Figuring I'll have to program a math function to run that calculation of (65535* (Value of 400017))+(Value of 400018)
  18. ModbusRTU fun...

    Okay... this makes no sense... EasTech claims their datatype is IEEE 754 (Single Precision Float, which is 32bits). But in the email from the guy i've been talking with to figure out what is being read and how I get this... I don't see how thats a float datatype... I'm kinda new to this so maybe it is but I doubt it. If it is, is there a standard data range that float is interpreted to be to lose the Exponent?
  19. RF TX RX

    Need to find out if the manf has provisions for a centralized RF system. If so its possible to rework it to work from a PLC. No different RF device is the same as another. their frq is always a bit different, codes are different, etc. type and manf really need to match for things to work right together. some things like wireless networks, etc that follow a ratified standard are a different beast. RF windows.. doubt thats the case. Its a real irritant to people with bit Home Theater systems and multiple devices with RF remotes instead of IR. the learning RF remotes really learn the IR command. and send that over RF to the learning's RX which converts it back to IR and blasts it out.
  20. RSLogix 500 Lite works great on Win7. You just need to run it with admin privileges. Running it to learn with and working with a Micrologix 1100. Via RSLinx Classic.
  21. Can I use the BSL or BSR to loop the bits stored in a word? From what I currently know it sounds like anything that leaves one side or the other is lost. IE.. 1000000000000001 becomes 0000000000000011 1000000000000010 becomes 0000000000000101 with use of a BSL? I am doing this to create a simulated system that will cycle between 3 pumps to keep run times balanced between all 3. Trying to learn things here to move into a new field so help in understanding rather than do this and it'll work is much better for me. I come from a 16 year career in computer and network system troubleshooting, repair, operation. Ml1100 series is the PLC I'm learning with.
  22. BSL-BSR

    Found that I had to use an odd number for the length rather than an even. An even would result in a either the 1 or 0 being duplicated somewhere along the line. As it is I got the program fully functional. Now to document everything going on in it. Is there a way to comment branches or do i just add it to the main rung comment? RSLogix 500 Lite.
  23. BSL-BSR

    That's the answer that popped into my head when I woke up this morning.. just a well DUH moment. Thanks.