Mailbox

[ChrisG 0]

Hey all Can someone please give me a rough overview of the mailbox function. What is it and how does it work. Would be great. Thanks in advance Chris

[jacekd 0]

Do you mean the mailbox in OP panels/ ProtoolPro ?

[ChrisG 0]

Sorry, I don't know what you mean because I started to deal with this stuff only two weks ago, but I can try explain what I need: Actually I have a Mitsubishi PLC and CC-Link Master, a P+F AS-i/CC-Link Gateway and two AS-i Slaves. Now I have a 4x16bit input signal from a "Analog/Digital-Converter" - Slave which I'd like to receive with my PLC. Now I'm trying to find out how it works and someone told me that the function I have to use (transient transmission function) works similar to the mailbox function that is to be used for this purpose. At least it is used together with P+F products. That's all I know because I have to learn everything with user manuals and product explanations! Chris

[Crossbow 295]

Actually I think this sounds like it should have been in the Mitsubishi forum. The command you would use to get data from the CC-Link network in an FX PLC is FROM. You would read data in from the special function module (which is your CC-Link module). If you're using a Q PLC, you can map the input data from a CC-Link slave straight into M bits and D registers. More info on the config (addressing, PLC type, etc.) would make this much easier...

[ChrisG 0]

More infos ... here they come: I have a Q CPU (Q02HCPU) and a QJ61BT11 CC-Link Master (I/O address: 20). That is the Mitsubishi part. Connected to my CC-Link Master I have a Pepperl + Fuchs CC-Link/AS-i Gateway with two AS-i Slaves, but only one makes problems. One Slave has an analog Input 2x0...10V and a digital output (P+F, VBA-2E-G4-U) and my problem is that I don't know how to get this output data to my PLC. The Gateway has 4 bits for the input of one slave but the output data is much more. In the Device batch monitor I can see the bits (D1000.8 ... D1000.B) changing but thats no use. I just need the whole output data as a constant number. Now the main problem is that I don't know if there is a special function to get the output data stored in my D registers or how else I can cope with this problem. Would be great if someone could help me with this. Thx in advance. Chris

[Crossbow 295]

I've never worked with the CC-Lin/AS-Interface gateway. I've used analog modules on the CC-Link network before. Each slave on a CC-Link network gets a certain number of bit and a certain number of words of data. In the Q series when you build your configuration for the CC-Link module in network parameters. In the Network parameters for the CC-Link card, you should see a remote input, remote output, remote register RWr and remote register RWw. Look for your data in the RWr range. I attached a screen shot...

[panic mode 246]

You also have to setup station type and assign number of stations per slave, make sure all devices are set to use same mode (baud rate) and have proper node settings. Ends of CC-Link cable should have terminators (although I find it works fine even without it at least on shorter distances or lower baud rates).

[ChrisG 0]

Thanks for your help. I have already set all network parameters as suggested in the manual. The point is that I can see the bits in the device monitor change (see screenshot), but that is no use as the 4x16bit output of my second slave is somehow transformed into a permanently changing 'number'. But I need the whole 4x16bit number and it is, actually, constant as someone who is used to this slave told me. I just attach some screenshots in a Word document, maybe they help... Attachment.doc

[Guest NotAnExpert]

I'm not sure if this is the answer to your problem, but... If the ASI gateway you are using is prior to version 2.1 ASI then you cannot read analogue values (represented as 16 bit words) from slaves. Check with your supplier if the gateway they sold you can support analogue slaves. If it can't, you will need to replace the gateway with the latest P&F ASI/CCLink gateway that does support ASI version 2.1 Concerning other ASI questions also try www.as-interface.com, they have many experts who are very keen to help. Good Luck

[ChrisG 0]

I have an AS-i/CC-Link Gateway according to AS-i specification 2.1 and it should work. But there must be some function in GX Developer to get the 16bit data. With a Siemens PLC it works like you send an order to the Gateway and get the 16bit data return, stored in the PLC memory (as far as I know). But actually I have a Mitsubishi PLC...

[Guest ALittleKnowledge]

Try reading the instruction manual for the gateway. It contains a full description of the mailbox function. Hint: the mailbox function exists in the gateway not the PLC.

[ChrisG 0]

Ok, thanks for your help, now I found out how it should work. Doesn't work right now but I'll get it... Chris