E71, Scada and IC Developer

[Colin Carpenter 10]

Haven't tried it yet, and it might just work, but then again. I have a Q02H CPu that has two E71 ethernet modules fitted. The first E71 is connected to an ethernet switch and works fine for talking to a couple of HMIs and my programming PC. I propose to use the 2nd E71 (because it's there and not being used) to talk to a PC running Prodigy Scada software and using their Melsec Ethernet driver. It all seems pretty straightforward, but I was just wondering if anyone had any experience about how to set up the E71 ethernet module in IEC Developer so that it will talk to a generic PC running SCADA software? Thanks Colin

[Colin Carpenter 10]

I tried this on Friday with a spare Q01 PLC with an E71 ethernet card connected to the site network and I could successfully ping the PLC from the SCADA PLC and when running the thernet diganostics in EIC Developer, I could see requests coming in from the SCADA PC, but the PLC steadfastly refused to answer those requests. Tried changing a few of the settings on the E71, but still couldn't get any comms going, so still a bit puzzled, however, it was a Friday afternoon so that probably explains it. Anybody managed to get a SCADA system talking to one of these? Thanks, Colin

[Nightfly 12]

For the 71 settings you could try... Protocol: TCP Open system: Unpassive Fixed Buffer: Send Fixed Buf. Com: Procedure exist Pairing: No pairs Existence Conf: No confirm Port: 1389 OR UDP Open system: --- Fixed Buffer: Recive Fixed Buf. Com: Procedure exist Pairing: No pairs Existence Conf: No confirm Port: 1388 Dest IP: No Settings Dest Port: FFFF We always use UDP - needless to say port number must match up with SCADA. Regards

[Colin Carpenter 10]

Thanks for that. I'm still more than a little puzzled as I've just been onto Tech Support and they're telling me that I need to write code in the PLC, and they've sent me a PowerPoint presentation for fixed buffer communications, which (unfortunately for me ) is written for GX Developer and uses a variety of "ZP." commands eg, ZP.OPEN, ZP.CLOSE, ZP.BUFRCV, ZP.BUFSND AND ZP.ERRCLR . I tried to convert ZP.OPEN into IEC using their OPEN function block which seems to be similar, but it won't compile due to type mismatches on the inputs and outputs etc. Do you find that when connecting a SCADA package you need to write code in the PLC? Thanks Colin

[Nightfly 12]

Hi Colin, Yes you can do all the settings via programming but it is much easier in the configurator. Otherwise you would need to add PLC code for every HMI you use - and to be honest to the PLC, SCADA is just another HMI. Only time I have ever coded for Ethernet on Mitsubishi (Fx & Q) was for PLC to PLC Comms. Otherwise I just use the configurator. Your SCADA will use an OPC Server to connect to the PLC. The settings I gave you were the recommended ones for Kepserver (probably the most common OPC server). Might want to check that the port numbers entered into the PLC and SCADA / HMI are in the same format. For example the Beijer HMI's we use want the port number to be entered in decimal. But the PLC in Hexadecimal - it's easy to enter the value in the wrong format especially if the HEX value does not have any alphabetic characters in it. This has got me more than once before. Regards

[dunc 8]

we use prodigy SCADA on our site. there is no need for an OPC server with Mitsubishi, it has a driver that can connect directly to it. you dont need to use another Ethernet module on the PLC either. setup is a bit fiddly, but ok once you get the hang of it. PM me your email address and I will send you screenshots and info to explain the setup. Edited 20 May 2015 by dunc

[Colin Carpenter 10]

Thanks for all the replies, and sorry I haven't got back sooner .... been on site for a couple of days. I managed to get it working today, and once again this shows that you should never trust anyone. I'd been trying to get SCADA ( which is actually the brilliant Prodigy package) to connect to the PLC using a TCP-IP address of 192.168.16.252 which was the one that the IT manager had set up for me after I'd given him the MAC address of the E71 card. Today, I tried again and after setting up an ethernet hub close by so that I could connect the PC , I "remote desktopped" into the SCADA PLC to do a ping test of 192.168.16.252, and it was successfull. "That's good" thinks I, but then I realised that I hadn't plugged the patch lead into the PLC yet, so immediately I realised that something else was already on this IP address and was the cause of the problem. Saw the IT manager, got another IP address ( this one did not reply to a ping, so there was nothing else out there) and the PLC immediately starting talking to SCADA as sweet as you like. Never assume .... Thanks again