Tinkerman42

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About Tinkerman42

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  1. Logix Tag-Based Alarms

    Well it looks like we've wandered off topic and since I started the wandering I'll try to bring it back.  So here goes. Logix Tag-Based Alarms seem to be quite new and I have not found much information about them except for Knowledgebase Article IN7565. Has anyone out there used the Tag-Based alarms and if so what was your experience, good or bad?  Have you ran into any gotchas? Thanks All!
  2. Logix Tag-Based Alarms

    Joe E. Perhaps my comments on Rockwell using customers as beta testers was a bit strong. However, the Logix Tag Based alarms still seem like a feature that is not fully ready for widespread use. Unfortunately no ACTUAL user of this feature has yet responded to this topic.  Mr. Arslan quotes the literature descriptions of this feature, but as we all know, what the literature says and what the software actually does is sometimes different.  Thankfully these differences are usually minor and only cause irritation. Usually … Here's an example of why I think the Logix Tag Based Alarms feature is not quite ready.  The manual says is that Logix Tag Based alarms are evaluated every 500 ms.  It also states that any delay times in the Tag Based Alarm configuration need to be entered in steps of 500 ms and can range from 0 to some maximum.  This IMPLIES that any alarm condition that lasts less that 500 ms may not be reliably detected by this feature, but the manual says NOTHING about this. Did they create a special function to handle 0 delay alarms?  Nope! After a call to Tech Support and two days of waiting for a response from "up the ladder" I was informed that "Logix Tag Based alarms may not capture alarm conditions lasting less that 500 ms and one should use an ALMD or ALMA instruction instead".  This type of information should be in the manual, not hidden under multiple layers of tech support. It's not that I dislike this feature, quite the contrary.  I set up about 100 alarms with it in PLC code and it made it easy to create alarms and manage settings.  All of the alarm logic variables can be accessed and used in the PLC program and are accessible by the HMI. (Never ran it in the field however.)  It really does have some great features. Just doesn't appear quite ready for prime time.
  3. Logix Tag-Based Alarms

    So, no responses after a month.  Apparently the Logix Tag Based alarms are just another Rockwell feature that has been rushed to release before it is truly ready.  No one is willing to use it yet because they recognize that it is an incomplete product in need of further improvements.  Thanks Rockwell for letting your customers once again be the beta testers on new products.  This seems to have been getting worse during the last 3-4 years.  If Rockwell is losing market share, you only have yourselves to blame.
  4. Some HMI's actually have an alarm relay on them for a horn or light but the PV + 1250 is not one of them. I'd recommend you install a 4 port I/O Link Master via the ethernet in the HMI cabinet similar to what Joe E. and BobLfoot suggested.
  5. I am planning to use the Logix Tag-Based Alarms in a project. It seems to be quite new and I have not found much information about them except for Knowledgebase Article IN7565. Has anyone out there used the Tag-Based alarms and if so what was your experience, good or bad?  Have you ran into any gotchas? Thanks All!
  6. Logo!8 data loging. 5 last values on HMI TDE

    One way to do this is to create 5 arithmetic computation blocks.  Connect the count you want to track to the first item of a computation block (let's call it B101) and leave the other 3 items set to zero. Now connect the output of the block (B101) to an analog flag (lets call it AM1).  Now take AM1 and connect it to the first item of a second computation block (let's call it B102).  Now connect the output of the block (B102) to another analog flag (lets call it AM2).  And so on and so on.  You get the idea, so the last part would be AM4 connected to the first item on B105 and the output of B105 connected to AM5. Now you need a trigger that goes high when your count is ready to be read.  Make sure the trigger is one shotted and attach this to the enable connection on all of the Computation blocks (B101-B105).  Be sure each Computation block is set so that the output maintains last value when disabled.  This way the new count will be read and saved in the first block and the historical readings will move down in the other blocks and then hold until the next count is ready. Your count history will be in both AM1-AM5 and the output of B101-B105. If you find that you are capturing the count too early you can add an M flag between the one shot trigger and the Enables on the Blocks. If you are capturing the count too late add an Analog Flag (AM) between the count and the First Computation Block (B101 in my example). Using this method you do not have any restrictions on what block numbers are used.   You may have to tweak it a bit but this should get you what you want.
  7. If you want a good gateway that will take the Profinet I/O and send it to your AB PLC and vise versa, try Real Time Automations gateways. I have used their Modbus to AB compact logix a couple of times.  A very solid product.  The sweet thing is that it will take the Profinet data and write it directly into a PLC address and also read a PLC address and send it to a Profinet address.  USA built and supported.  Sorry for sounding like a sales guy but I have just been super pleased with their product.