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DJW

Square D/symax

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Hello all. new to the site. I've checked the archives, and the forums, now I'll ask the experts. Have a Symax 300 PLC and original Compaq programmer. The boss wants all the different PLC's software on a PII laptop so we don't have to use multiple computers. The old comaq is on it's last legs Apparently, there is an interface card in the compaq, an SFI323, and it's an RS422 port. Naturally, the laptop only has an RS232. Anybody got any ideas on how to interface the laptop to the SYMAX? Thanks for your help in advance, I look forward to hearing your ideas. DJW

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Greetings from Northern Indiana: I am having great trouble with this post so I’ll write it elsewhere and copy and paste it. I have worked with Square D for many years and have received assistance from Square D Technical office in South Bend. Here is their phone number and the tech’s name. Steve Burcham Sq. D technical Office South Bend, Indiana (574) 674 8876 Good luck Charlie

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I think the version of software you have must see that card in order to work. If the computer doesn't have the card the software will tell you that the hardware is not compatable. I have one of thoughs. There maybe some newer software that will work without the card, but your still going to need a RS232 to RS422 converter. please let us know what you find.

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I Had the same problem. I am still using the compaq running the SFW334 software. We also have the newer Symate software which works great with our 386- pentium 166 systems running Windows 95. You can talk to Symax through your RS232 comm port by adding a 232-422 converter and making the correct connections. Our newer machines Running Windows 2000 and XP have a problem maintaining communications using the above method. Square D, AKA, Group Schnieder, AKA, Schnieder Electric Informs me that there is a "WINMATE" software comming out, Or may already be out, that should run on the newer operating systems. My guess is that it is going to be a pricy piece of software. Good Luck

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THANKS FOR THE INPUT GUYS. THE LATEST THINKING IS TO UPGRADE THE MACHINERY AND THEY WANT TO INSTALL AN A-B PLC, SO NOW I GET TO START CONVERTING THE PROGRAM TO A-B. OH WELL, I'M STILL LEARNING, AND NEED ALL THE PRACTICE I CAN GET. I'LL LET YOU KNOW HOW IT TURNS OUT. THEY HAVE'NT RECOGNIZED THAT THERE STILL ONE OTHER PIECE OF EQUIPMENT WITH ANOTHER SYMAX IN IT.

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The Winmate software was released. But you're not going to like it's $5000 list price. My customer didn't. They also opted to remove the Symax and upgrade to a newer PLC. The SFW software doesn't like newer faster computers. Our solution has always been to keep an old Toshiba laptop (a really old one with ISA slots and a 386 CPU, more like a lap breaker than a laptop) and we only use it for the really old DOS programming software. With the Modicon Quantum, you can actually hang existing racks of Symax IO from the remote IO head, and so you can leave all your IO modules in place (except comm modules) and put a new Quantum PLC in to control the IO modules. This works really well as long as you're using standard Symax IO modules. Just add a 8030CRM931 to each Symax rack, cable them with coax back to the 140CRP93100 on a Quantum rack, and you're ready to go. Of course you do still have to convert the program.

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