Newbie Help

[Stuart_Wales 5]

We're a 90% mitsi site, and recently have been forced to purchase some 'off the shelf' machines with S7 PLC's in them.

To now, we have used contractors for any PLC work but recently we purchased a laptop and software to connect ourselves. Training is happening in 2017, but:

1. 1 machine we're trying to upload from as a back up has password protection - is there a way around this?

2. We're told that you can't upload a HMI program from a Siemens HMI, and you can only edit if you have the original/most recent software before hand - is this true, as we're in the state where we want to back everything up.

3. Is there anyone who's mitsi & siemens capable who would be willing to answer my silly questions over the next few months haha... thanks.  

[Bryll 31]

1. Unfortunately not.

2. Don't really know, but it sounds strange to me if you can't. Would not be surprised, we are talking about Siemens here.

3. Post your questions here at the forum and I'm sure you will have lots of answers.

What PLC and operator panel, and what Siemens software are you using ?

Edit:

Found this at the Siemens forum

Link

Edited 13 Dec 2016 by Bryll
Added link

[dekor 12]

Please give us more details: CPU type  and OP or TP type. 

Having those  info we can see what are the possibilities.

Edited 13 Dec 2016 by dekor

[Crossbow 295]

Most Siemens HMI I have worked with (all low end) do not store source code, so there is no capability to upload.

[dekor 12]

I know that some of types of Siemens OP or TP can be "decrypted".

OP 7, MP277 and other that use runtime file .fwd or .fwx where successfully decrypted.

Lets try to help Bryll.

[Bryll 31]

It's a very interesting question if it's possible to upload a project or not from a Siemens panel.

What I found (by a quick search) is that it's possible to upload a backup file from the panel, I only looked at the newer comfort panels.

It's not possible to open this backup file and edit it, it can only be downloaded to the same type of operator panel.

 

[dekor 12]

I don't backup file, I Said OP 7 backup file and runtime file (fwd or fwx) for new OP type create with ProTool and WinCCFlex.

[Stuart_Wales 5]

Thanks for the warm responses all! I will collate a list of hardware and software we're using early next year then keep this topic open.

Thanks again!

[Bryll 31]

I talked to some people that's in the business regarding operator panels and project upload.

The one I have worked with a lot, and I know it's possible to upload the project from is Mitsubishi/Beijer E1000 series.

Some other panels like Beijer iX series gives you an option as developer to not only download the compiled source code to the panel, you can also download a copy of the project file to the panel.

This file can be uploaded, edited, compiled and the new source code downloaded to the panel.

Just remember to replace the outdated project file in the panel ;)

Some other panels is it only possible to upload the compiled source code from.

[Joe E. 259]

The Siemens MP277 screens that we have will allow you to make a backup from within their Windows control panel (they're Windows CE boxes at heart) to an installed USB flash drive or MMC/SD card.  You can then move that flash drive or card to another MP and restore it, or to your laptop to copy the backup files to another location for storage.

You can also use their ProSave utility to make a complete backup of the operating system, project, and recipes directly to your laptop/PC, but this is a very slow process.  Neither of these can be decompiled for editing, though.

When downloading to an MP277 from WinCC Flexible 2008, there's an option to allow back transfer, which would allow you to edit what you upload.  Unfortunately, it takes a lot of memory and I haven't been able to do this.  A larger MMC/SD card may allow it, but I haven't really experimented with it since we keep pretty good backups of the project files.

https://support.industry.siemens.com/tf/ww/en/posts/back-transfer-the-project-from-hmi/50680/?page=0&pageSize=10

The Red Lion G3 series HMIs also allow you to upload the file from the HMI and open/edit/whatever in Crimson, if the initial developer allowed it.  AB PanelView Plus HMIs v5.0 and above also allow you to upload and decompile the runtime file if the developer allows, but you will lose the runtime user security settings.

[Bryll 31]

3 hours ago, Joe E. said:

The Siemens MP277 screens that we have will allow you to make a backup from within their Windows control panel (they're Windows CE boxes at heart) to an installed USB flash drive or MMC/SD card.  You can then move that flash drive or card to another MP and restore it, or to your laptop to copy the backup files to another location for storage.

You can also use their ProSave utility to make a complete backup of the operating system, project, and recipes directly to your laptop/PC, but this is a very slow process.  Neither of these can be decompiled for editing, though.

When downloading to an MP277 from WinCC Flexible 2008, there's an option to allow back transfer, which would allow you to edit what you upload.  Unfortunately, it takes a lot of memory and I haven't been able to do this.  A larger MMC/SD card may allow it, but I haven't really experimented with it since we keep pretty good backups of the project files.

https://support.industry.siemens.com/tf/ww/en/posts/back-transfer-the-project-from-hmi/50680/?page=0&pageSize=10

The Red Lion G3 series HMIs also allow you to upload the file from the HMI and open/edit/whatever in Crimson, if the initial developer allowed it.  AB PanelView Plus HMIs v5.0 and above also allow you to upload and decompile the runtime file if the developer allows, but you will lose the runtime user security settings.

The main question is if it's possible to open and edit the file you upload from the panel.

 

[Joe E. 259]

 

Just now, Bryll said:

The main question is if it's possible to open and edit the file you upload from the panel.

 

If you upload the *.pzd file, yes.  If not, no.

[dekor 12]

Just playing around...

[Bryll 31]

2 hours ago, Joe E. said:

 

If you upload the *.pzd file, yes.  If not, no.

Excellent !!!

Thanks a lot.