Beerad

Thanks Ben. Yeah as it turns out, they are using an ENBT Ethernet/IP card on the AB PLC, and AB doesn't allow open-socket communications on that card. You have to go up to an EN2T is what I am told. I haven't seen a Control Logix in a few years, and honestly I was surprised that they still don't have a standard ethernet port on it. Ethernet/IP is definitely the best way to go. B&R's help file on the AsEthIp library was key, all you have to do is edit a configuration data file and tell it where to point the variables. Best part: when we got it set up, they have an .l5k generating exe that will take the configuration data file and generate an .l5k that you can just import into your RS Logix project and you're good to go! B&R also doesn't limit the CIP connections

We have a production line with multiple PLCs (from different OEMs) running different segments of the process. Sometimes 1 area of the line will need to stop, or slow down or make adjustments, so the upstream and downstream PLCs will need to know this and adjust accordingly. Currently using discrete point-to-point wiring of digital and analog IO to accomplish this, but we are looking to setup communication by some sort of ethernet protocol to accomplish this. Does anybody have any experience using ethernet communication between PLCs of different manufacturers? Specifically we have B&R controllers, as well as Control Logix PLCs. Which protocol to use? TCP? UDP? Ethernet/IP? Are there any limitations of the respective manufacturers that would prevent us from implementing the communications protocol?

Good idea

Day and night difference from AB to B&R, the Automation Studio environment makes it really easy to implement complex processes, especially motion. I like that they support the use of open languages like PLCopen and the IEC standard languages, and the help files are very detailed and useful. Lots of libraries already done the work for you, I believe their winder control and hydraulic control (AsHydCon) are some of the best in the business. PID control is also very easy to implement. Their servo drives are a hell of a lot easier to use then many of the conventional drives out there. The build on their physical products is very high quality, representative of the german engineering philosophy (I know, B&R is Austria, but come on, I'm American so what's the difference right? lol) The chassis on their computers is the best I've ever seen. They actually in-circuit test every single component on all of their products, and I've seen the Egglesburg facility - hotties in white birkenstocks and all - and that place is absolutely amazing. Its like a mix between an Apple store and one of those Japanese gardens that monks spend their lives perfecting. If you look at the exponential-looking growth curve over the past five years, they're obviously doing something right....

I actually ran into an issue connecting to one of these old PLCs. You will need: -BRKAOL5-1 (online cable) -ECPAD1-0 (online cable adapter) -5SWPIC-3 (Prosys software)

Automation Runtime should work without a seperate license. If its not, click the icon in the lower-right of windows and restart it, it should be called ARsim. Sometimes people run into problems when a 2-hour limit on using PVI runs out. PVI is the interface that links between windows program (e.g. Automation Studio) and the automation runtime (ARsim or ARembedded or ARwin) where your code is actually running like on a PLC. If that happens i know you can restart it. Only need to purchase PVI license if setting up automated SCADA system or something like that running on windows all the time. When I do a project, i like to simulate everything, and have a seperate "configuration" for any hardware implementation. the simulations are really cool as they simulate not only PLC and drives but also the motors themselves.

I just did 4 months of training on their systems. Automation Studio 3.0.90 made everything a breeze, I hear 4.0 is coming out later this year. Ladder functionality worked fine for me, although i did hear of some other people in my class that ran into glitchy issues. IMO you can't really design good software in ladder anyway, so i don't see any loss there. Cross-referencing worked perfectly for me when debugging code. I think the best part about doing the software in AS is that its hardware independant, so the same code will run on any of their PLCs. No more problems like when switching from SLC to 5000