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flippyr

Conveyor belt needs programming tweaked

14 posts in this topic

Hi Guys, Firstly I'm new to the forum and in the whole concept of PLC's so yeah Hi! I'm looking for some assistance/reassurance more than anything. My father has bought a conveyor belt which is controlled by a Mistubishi FX16-MR. He is having some issues with the timing of each belt. Essentially the belts have three lanes and they merge into one for the next stage of the process. I have attached some photo's which should help the translation of my non industry standard jargon. I work in IT, and like to mess about with anything i don't know about so i thought i would try have a go at fixing this for him. I managed to find out that it is a SC09 cable that is needed and the software needed is Melsec Medoc. I have went and ordered a cable and got version 1.64b . In the hope that i can hook this up and have a play around to get things fine tuned. Am i seriously underestimating this? Do I seem to be on the right lines? Having looked at Medoc I can see that projects can be saved. My intentions was to save the projects, mess about and if worst comes to worst i can import the projects again? Any assistance is appreciated.

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http://s8.postimg.org/6im2fjd91/DSC_7270.jpg http://s1.postimg.org/uguuzs9nj/DSC_7263.jpg http://s1.postimg.org/uguuzs9nj/DSC_7263.jpg Edited by flippyr

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You've got the right cable. Unless you got a USB model, you'll also need a USB to serial converter. MELSEC Medoc is the old DOS programming software, so it's free. I used it once years ago, so I don't remember much about it. As I recall it can save programming files, but I don't really know. It does have the advantage of being free. If you want to enter the modern age, you can buy the new programming software, GX Works 2. It should work with that unit. If not, it comes with the previous version (GX Developer 8) which definitely will work. I just worked on an FX-64MR this evening using that package.

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A word of warning - in the pictures you showed the battery light seems to be on. This is an old plc and the battery is very likely to have failed or be on the way out. If it completely fails while you have the power off you will lose the program inside

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Yeah i have a good usb to serial adapter so should be fine. I did have a look at GX and it certainly seems alot more user friendly. Would you say thats the route to take? Thanks Ron, are these batteries easy to source and install? Much appreciated for the advice guys.

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With Medoc being a DOS based software the older your operating system is the better. It will run on XP not sure about later versions. You will have to configure your usb serial adapter to COM 2 because you only have choice of COM 1 or COM 2. If you have difficulties getting around Medoc post what you are trying to do. Rodney

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Might be worth taking a video of it working before you start messing in case you loose the program. Also use GX Dev or Works as they have help files which will help you understand the software instructions.

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Hi Guys, Thanks for all the replies, really helpful! My cable should be here tomorrow so i'll try get connected up. I managed to get a Windows 7 x32 machine to run the software from a flash pen. Think i may look at getting GX Dev or Works then!

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Oh and thanks Rodney, i no doubt will need some assistance! will keep you guys posted. Think I will give MEDOC a try first

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GX Developer is much easier to use. You'll actually buy the newer GX Works 2, which comes with the older version for backwards compatibility. My price in the US for the package was somewhere around $400 a couple of years ago. This might seem high compared to standard computer software (Office, etc.), but it's actually on the low end for a major automation manufacturer. AB software is much more expensive.

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Hi Flippyr, Medoc is a MS-DOS based program and will not run on Windows 7. You need a XP machine to run it or a virtual server program to emulate an older OS. Do you have the existing conveyor program on disk or in a print-out? If you don't have this you can make an upload from the PLC in Medoc but this will be a ladder diagram without labels so you will see for an example input X2 but is does't tell you that this is the start button so you need an electric diagram to see what is connected and make a label yourself. If you have the Medoc file of the conveyorbelt installation and are able tot open it you can use 'print to file' and import the file in GX-developer 8. Medoc is fun to work with, I did this for many years and still 80% of our machinery is running on this but since XP is outdated, and banned by our IT-department, I'm transforming all old Medoc software to GX-Developer enviroment or replace old PLC's for modern types like FX3GE or Q-series in GX-Works2. (My younger collegues don't understand this Medoc so 'grandpa of the team' has to do the job... ) Good luck and keep us posted of the progress. Best regards, Theo V.

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Hi, Quick update on where i am currently. I have managed to source GX Developer and got the SC09 cable. On friday I hooked everything up and managed to get connected to the PLC, connected up through the correct com port but when i tried to read from the PLC i could execute everything apart from the main program. I have attached a screen print of the error that is being displayed. http://www.imageupload.co.uk/5vWZ Anyone got ideas? As mentioned earlier, the battery light is illuminated and im worried that there is no program to download. Additionally, the conveyor isnt working now with the power buttons. Currently trying to source the program from the gent that had the conveyor previously Edited by flippyr

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Hello Flippyr. Does the machine currently work? The run light seems to be off/ battery and fault light on? Forget about the existing program. Start with the electrical schematic. Re-create it if you do not have it. Now thing about how you want the machine to work. See if this matches up with the existing hardware. From the earlier photos it looks like the PLC only has one input connected and there are two (single phase?) motor contactors and a few other outputs. So I'd say you need to start at the hardware and work back to the software. Above all - be safe. Where are you based - PM if you need to.

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Flippyr, I am betting you have lost the program due to battery failure. Do you have a hard wire print or a paper copy of the ladder diagram? If you don't have either then you may have to map yourself out an Input/output list. Then develop your own program to meet the needs you desire.

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