CoveredInColor

MrPLC Member
  • Content count

    5
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Community Reputation

2 Neutral

About CoveredInColor

  • Rank
    Newbie

Profile Information

  • Country United States
  1. I'm sorry, guys, but I wouldn't be asking if I hadn't dedicated about 12 hours to this already. Long story short: ACS800 with RPBA-01 Profibus Adapter and RTAC-01 Pulse Encoder Interface. All we send to the drive (aside from CW permissives) is a position reference, and I believe the DriveAP functions execute how the drive will achieve that position. My final aim is to separate the encoder from going back to the drive, to instead going to a FM350-1 Counter module. I'm following someone elses work that is long gone, has been changed multiple times, and comments are almost non-existent. Where I'm stuck is understanding the data coming from the drive and being sent to it. PPO Type 5; DPV 0. In Step7, I have a DB for 20 bytes of data to drive and another DB for 20 bytes received from drive. I understand (with respect to data from drive) that it should be: SW; ACT; PZD3...PZD10 (10 x 2 byte Words). But, when I looked through all the settings in the group 51 parameters, the values in the form of (xxyy; index then subgroup; ex: 106 is parameter 1.06) don't seem to exist in the ACS800 Firmware manual. PZD 3 OUT: 7 --- PZD3 IN: 6 PZD 4 OUT: 8 --- PZD4 IN: 10 PZD 5 OUT: 0 --- PZD5 IN: 106 PZD 6 OUT: 0 --- PZD6 IN: 0 PZD 7 OUT: 0 --- PZD7 IN: 611 PZD 8 OUT: 0 --- PZD8 IN: 612 PZD 9 OUT: 0 --- PZD9 IN: 701 PZD 10 OUT: 0 --- PZD 10 IN: 706 The manual says parameter values 1-99 refer to a "Data Set" and each number specifies a certain word in a Data Set. For example, PZD3 IN: 6 refers to Data Set 2 Word 3, which is defined by paramater 92.03. But, that turns up something about short circuit protection, when what my DB value is displaying a distance (from a linear string pot encoder) that matches what the mill is actually at. The ACS800 manual says Data Set Actual Signal words are defined in Group 92. So I looked there: 92: DS Transmit (From Drive) --- 90: DS Receive (From PLC) 92.01: Status Word (Fixed) --- 90.01: 4501 92.02: 103 --- 90.02: 4309 92.03: 402 --- 90.03: 4505 92.04: 412 --- 90.04: 1 92.05:106 --- 90.05: 3 92.06: 0 Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
  2. Siemens Mobile HMI program signature

    This is not in my wheelhouse at all, but could you possibly write a program or script that looks at a particular file/folder on each Mobile HMI installation and checks for the file's last edited property to all be equal? I don't really know any of the higher level languages, so I have no idea how to accomplish this, but this would verify that all HMI's are congruent.
  3. HMI view/control on smart phone or tablet

    We have a tablet running InTouch WindowViewer; the clients are identical in content but were created for a different aspect resolution. We also do this with screens with lower resolutions than monitors. For example, we have an 800 x 600 build that runs on Thin Clients.
  4. Function Blocks and Data logging to CSV

    I really hope I don't mess this up, but this is my understanding of FB's. I have not used TIA Portal specifically, but as I understand it, it is just a suite containing the various Siemens' software (Simatic Step 7 Manager, STARTER, etc.) After you have created an FB in Simatic Manager via Insert Object -> Function Block, you can open the newly created FB and begin coding in it. Once inside the new FB, there is a Declaration Table at the top of the page with In, Out, In/Out, Temp, Stat variable trees. This is where you label and define the generic variables to be used inside the FB for processing. At my site, we have a generic double-solenoid valve FB called many different places. For example, you have a valve with two solenoids each powered from an output from a Siemens' module. You could define an "Out" for "Sol_A" of type "Boolean" in this new FB's Declaration Table. Now, if you save this block, and then make a block call in another FC/FB/OB for this FB, it will display the FB and FB number as a box, with a variable on the outgoing side of the box labeled "Sol_A". You would then assign the address (Absolute or Indirect) for the specific output you want turned on to energize this solenoid next to this "Out" parameter. The process is repeated for all other generic variables inside your FB. Determine the nature of this signal: is it only brought into the FB (In); is it only an output of the FB (Out); is a signal both brought into the FB, processed, and sent out (In/Out); a Temp acted on only during each scan cycle and then "forgotten"; or a "Stat" which is a Static variable retained after the execution of the block and saved in the associated Instance DB of the FB. Then, define a name and the type of data related to this variable: Boolean, S5Time, INT, REAL, etc. When this block is called in another FC/FB/OB, you will then assign all the actual addresses you want manipulated in the respective slots that are populated on the incoming and outgoing sides of the FB. The water gets murkier for me when you get into Multi-Instance DB's, combining Instance DB's into a calling FB's Instance DB, but I would really recommend reading the Siemens' manuals for "Simatic Programming with STEP 7" and the programming manuals for whatever processor you are using. As for the .CSV question, I cannot help you there in Step 7. If you are using WonderWare, I know there is a way to export tag data to a .CSV at different intervals for data logging, though I have never personally used it. Adam  
  5. Popular HMI/SCADA Software Suites?

          Hi all. I'm new here. Quick background on myself: I was a 6-and-out Navy Nuke Electrician on a Sub. I finished my service in Jan 2015 and immediately went to work as a shift electrician at a steel mill. I always say I was a good nuclear operator, but a poor electrician. However, I think I have learned rather quickly and really enjoy PLC's and HMI development. At my company, we have a lot of liberty to modify code, create new projects, etc.      I primarily work with S7-300/S7-400 and GE UC's at work; and I have a Micrologix emulator and programming software I practice on. All of our HMI development is done in InTouch and I feel proficient with WW, having done some projects with Modbus/DASSIDirect on my own.     As this is the first industrial automation job I have ever had, I only know about the software and hardware I have been exposed to at work. My question is what are other popular HMI software suites that major employers use (and customers prefer), because I'd really like to become very good at the programming/control side of my job.     Thank you all very much. Adam