machinebuilder

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Everything posted by machinebuilder

  1. mitsubishi software

    GWWorks3 has to be the worse software on the market. I program quite a few plcs and this is the worse. What a waste of my money. Help files are no help. Took hours just to find out how to add a timer. Still can not get around the software. Wow, with all the different plcs on the market why would anyone want to use Mitsubishi? AT 650 bucks for software, not a good option.   I am going to rip out the plc and replace it with some other brand. It came  equipment from China.
  2. mitsubishi software

    Really. Using GXWorks3. Me and my buddy spent over 3 hours fumbling around. Never did find out how to enter a rung. We wrote a small program and some odd reason there are numbers to the left looks like octal numbering. Tried to insert a rung and can not. Can add rows or columns but not rungs.  Fumbling around found out how to label one of the elements such as X0 for example.  Finally we gave up and replaced the PLC. How many years did you take to learn the software? We both have experience with Automation Direct products, Allen Bradley, Siemens, Panasonic, IAI, and a couple more and this has to be the worse programming of them all. It was a FX series plc. Hate bashing a company, but we will not be using Mitsubishi. With all the plcs out there giving software away free... I spent 650 bucks on this software. Well the company did.
  3. Getting Software

    HI, I have a plc, MELSEC FX3SA-20MR. I see Allied Electronics has software but I am not sure if it is the correct one. It is listed as: Mitsubishi GX developer FX software Mfr. Part#: GX DEVELOPER FX   I did not realize it is hard to get software. I can not find a Distributor or Locate a number to call Mitsubishi.     IN Any case, with the listed software from Allied work?    
  4. Getting Software

    Thank you. I finally found the software. I was surprised Allied Electronics sells the FX version only. I clicked on the Mitsubishi link and whala. Found Moxley Electronics in PA. The lastest software is GX Works 3. It will do all the plcs. $650.   I have to call him back because I am not sure if the programming cable comes with the software.   Bryll your comment on Asian markets makes sense now as the equipment purchased was from China.    
  5. Subroutine

    HI, I am trying to use a subroutine but can not get it to work properly, of course there is no example in the manual. I tried many times in the past but gave up and now it is about time I learn how to make it work. I want to jump to a subroutine. The subroutine will activate a air cylinder,(Plunger), for a second then retract and go back to the program. I get it to go to the subroutine and the plunger comes out and stays out. That is it. There are sensors on the extend and retract. If it extends to full lenght then go back to program and move on. If the plunger does not extend to meet the sensor, that is an error and do something else like go to alarm or something. Not sure yet. I would love to know why I can not get it to work. For now it will extend fully out make the sensor and return to the program. IF I can get that far, I can do the error thing later. This is using RS 500 software on a Micrologix 1400. One thing I wish AB would do in the software is high light the programs if they are active. I can not really tell if it is hung up in the subroutine or not. I put a latch bit on the last rung of the subroutine along with a RET element and it never goes high.   Please some kind of example or logic!
  6. Subroutine

    Sorry if i upset any of you. I get so frustrated using AB software. I did post what i was trying to do. I found some you tube videos. I see that i needed to cause the rung that calls the routine to go false. I was going to the routine but on return, the programs was scanning and seeing that the rung to go to the subroutine was still  true so it was runned it again. So in my sub routine i latch a bit to say it was completed and move on. Also I put an unlatch rung to the output that was being used in the subroutine. I think I got it. I do have several subroutines running continuously, ie, motor, HMI, etc. they are in rung 2. This particular subroutine works a cylinder that acts like a plunger and is needed several times in the program. I wanted to call it anywhere in the program as needed. If anyone has used the D0-More Software  this would have been so much easier. But this one machine I have to use AB software using RS500 and it has limited features compared to others. But that is another story.   Again sorry, I did not mean to insult anyone. You guys are great. Wish I knew as much about AB software as you do. I guess that comes with experience.
  7. Subroutine

    Are there any REAL examples somewhere. I hate reading vague answers or reading vague manuals. I just need a real example. Also in the jmp command, once i go to the label how do I get back to the instructions after the jump command? It tells me to jmp then doesn't explain how to go back to the program to resume.   I gave up on the subroutine, I can not get it to operate properly.  If I could see an example how these things work, it would be so much better. Most of this sounds like bla bla bla to me. Sorry not to insult anyone. Just live in a world where I need to see examples.  
  8. Flex I/O

    1794-ANET, How in the world do I let the PLC use the I/O. I got all the addressing done, but now how does the PLC use the I/O. It seems to do things in AB world you need 15 different manuals to do something. No where is there a setup to map the external Flex IO.  I am able to see the plc and Flex IO in RSLInx, all green lights, but no connection between the two.
  9. I do a lot of EA9's to AB and never had to set the mask to zero. Did you try 255, 255, 254, 0? In one of our plants the IT set up for wider addresses and I had to use the 254 and it worked fine. The AD panels are so much easier to use and you can do quite a bit with them connected to the AB plc's. You can still program the PLC  and the HMI through ethernet, just make sure the plc, hmi and computer have different addresses. It is so much faster programming through ethernet. The C-Mores have all the drivers you need to use them with AB.
  10. Flex I/O

    Sorry to get on AB so much, but it seems you need expensive software to do something or the equipment is expensive . Since it uses Ethernet/IP i maybe able to use explicit messaging to communicate with it. i am having a hard time finding the manual to tell me what the  class, instances, etc settings are.   I decided to use a different brand plc to do this. this plc will communicate to the AB if I can find out what settings i need. I realize there are some hard core AB out there, but AB needs to step up their game. No longer are new users willing to spend thousands of dollars for software and expensive equipment. There are more cost effective plcs with much more abilities. I sill use AB when requested to. I like the software but it has limited abilities compared to others. the equipment if very reliable too.  I will not name the brand but they just came out with new plc programming and hardware that is unbelievable. It will communicate in many ways without the need for additional software to many external equipment, including AB. They are constantly upgrading and adding new programming features. And it is all free!  Anyhow if I could find the info I need I may still be able to use the Flex Io
  11. Flex I/O

    AB never surprises me with their limited functionality.
  12. Can someone explain with an example how the BSL works. There are no examples in the help files. They do explain what each field does, not no example. The manual is worse, the example uses bits that are not even the same in the little diagram they use. Just looking for a simple explanation i can understand.
  13. Flex I/O

    I am using RS500, there is no Ethernet in the project tree, at least I do not see it. Don't tell me I have to buy thousand dollar software to make this work. RS500 with a Micrologix 1100.
  14. 1761-net-eni

    the 1761 is a ser D. i configured the module. Is it possible using ethernet through the device to access address specifically map to and from the B-bits, or N-interger? Or is the ENI module only used for programming? If I can access address through the ethernet port, what literature would explain that? I followed the ENI configuration program and it only allowed me to set the baud rate, IP address, etc and showed me how to configure the PLC. But nothing is said about mapping.
  15. Flex IO

    wow i got it. I had to reset using 888. Reboot. Set notebook to Obtain IP, not static. The using the RS boot server that comes with RSlogix 500, click on the MAC of the Flex IO. Put in the address I want and send it. It shows it went to the mac address okay. The software would not allow me to disable the DHCP server in the Flex. Not sure how I thought of it but I changed the software settings from 255.255.255.0 to 255.255.254.0. then the software allowed me to disable the DHCP in the Flex. None of this stuff is in the manual as far as setting the 255.255.255.0. My PLC rep could not get it going and he is the software/hardware expert. So now the lights on the Flex are green and I can ping the flex. Now to connect it to the robot controller. that should be fun.  
  16. Flex IO

    Using AB Boot/DHCP Servo 2.3 trying to address a 1794-AENT Flex IO. The instructions do not say much.  I do not see the one of the FLEX IO. It is F454339563F9. That is what is written on the Address Tag of the Flex IO. I do not see that on the screen. I put the switches on the IO to 004. the instructions say it should be at 192.168.000.xxx. I have my notebook set to 192.168.0.16     255.255.255.0   I added a relation with that mac address but it says it timed out. How do I connect to the Flex IO?   Module status light is steady green network status light is blinking green link status is steady green. is the network status blinking cause it is not connected to a piece of equipment, just my notebook?
  17. Flex IO

    I tried that. I choose Ethernet devices and Ethernet IP. Tried both. When  I right click on the Flex IO from the tree, it shows the present address at 192.168.1.4. I change it to 192.168.0.4 and then hit apply. It warns changing the IP address. I say okay then it pops up unexpected communication error and does not say why. It does say, "The following requests failed to be proceeded: Interface Attributes (IP, Network Mask or Gateway).  
  18. Flex IO

    the ping is okay. RS Linx will not allow me to change the address, After the warning of changing the IP address, it comes up communication error. I have such a hard time with Allen Bradley products. it sucks.
  19. Flex IO

    Thanks for the info. I found the address to be 192.168.1.4.  I have the thumbwheels set to 004. I want to change the IP address to 192.168.0.4.   I will read through the links you posted to see how that is done.  
  20. Has anyone ever mapped a Micrologix 1400 to a Kuka Controller. I want to map from the plc B3:6 Whole Word to the Kuka, but I do not know what address to put in the Setup for Target Device > Target Data Address. the Kuka has mapped for Input INW0=0,0.
  21. Modbus Help

    Having trouble reading to registers in a servo drive. I have a micrologix 1400 ser B. I enabled modbus and re-cycled the plc. It shows it is enabled. The register I am trying to write to is 6000. It is a double integer. See attached picture. I do not see any errors. I type numbers into N7:0 and I do not see the number in the servo drive. Can anyone see what I might be doing wrong or missing?  
  22. Modbus Help

    Hi b_Carlton, that is quite alright. It got things rolling. I haven't had a chance to try the reverse yet. I will tomorrow. I am a little surprised there is no double words in the micrologix. You have to build it. I was a little confused on the LONG. the way it is listed in the list, I thought maybe it was a LONG String. I was expecting under integer, to be a selection for 16 bit or 32 bit.
  23. Modbus Help

    Hi Ken, I created a Long Data Type and it works perfectly. How do you guys find out this info. I have not tried it yet, but it should work in reverse also. I should be able to take the Long and use CPW to2 16bit modbus addresses back to the Drive? So CPW #L9:0   #N7:0 2
  24. Modbus Help

    The CPW did not seem to work. I got a 4.12445e3-xx after executing. What I see from N7:0 and N7:1 is N7:0 is good up to 32767 the it goes neg. In N7:1 I get a 1,2,3 depending how far the number in N7:0 goes. Not sure I need to do a high/low word swap. I do not see how to do that with the 500 software. Also concerning seeing numbers like 1,2,3 in N7:1. I just can not believe it is difficult to read a 32 bit number into a AB plc. Ref, the number I am trying to read from the drive is on Modbus address 8002 & 8003. So it looks like it is coming to the plc on 2 16 bit addresses.
  25. Modbus Help

    Sorry, seems I have another issue. I am trying to read from the Drive, 32 bit, to the Allen Bradley. I tried N7, F8 and no luck. Says the processor can not process the info. If I set it to N7:20 and select 16 bit for data, I see the info coming in but only can display part of the number, around 32000, then it goes negative. I need to import the data into a 32 bit word. I do not see how I can do that. The N7's are 16 bit. I tried telling the data is 32 bit, then I get a large number in n7:0 and then a -1 in N7:1. Any ideas?