khekd

Ben, Where are you trying to browse for them? The only place I know you can is going to the hardware configuration and go online. Once you are online and if the ET200s stations are connected you then can double click on them to view diag and status info. From "SATANIC Manager", if you just try to do a accessible nodes it will not see the ET200s station because they are not on the network talking ISO on TCP. Remember when you are doing ProfiNet I/O it is a totally different beast then regular ethernet. Khek

Try this website. It is one I found just messing around and dug it up. It is supposed to be for educational institutions but has some great material. Also, when you purchased your Step7 software there should have been a disk in it called Step7 Step by Step. If it is not you can ask your local Siemens distributor to get you one. Good luck, Khek http://www.automation.siemens.com/fea/html...down_module.htm

J@ack, Here is a presentation I do for customers to get them started on AS-interface. It is very general but it should help. I can help you more in detail if you have a particular ASi master and or a PLC with an interface card. Also, every once and awhile the ASi people put on a hands on class that is pretty good. You can find that on their website. Good luck asi_basics_short.zip

The U84 I/O cannot be driven by the siemens plc via profibus because it is particular for the yaskawa memobus. Memobus is more like a pseudo modbus that is byte swapped which is entirely different from profibus. There are plenty of i/o options out there for profibus dp i/o and not just siemens. sorry and good luck

The TI-S7 library does exist in the lite package see the attached snapshot. Good luck

Here is the code example for the modbus master. you will have to read the rung comments very carefully because those are the only help files. And you have to view them in STL to get all the detailed comments. It is doable because I have several people using this to talk to VFDs and weigh scales. Good luck! Modbus_master.zip

Ben, That was true with the TP177micro but now you can download with the usb ppi cable as long as you have a cable that is e-stand 4 or higher and microwin 4.0.4.16 or higher. The TP177A & B's were designed for the S7-3/4's so MPI is the only way to download to them but the micro was design just for the 200's.

Does anyone know how to connect to the RJ-3's ethernet port? What is the protocol that is being used by the controller. I think that I may have to use a "Socket Message" block (SM) just like you do with the Cognex camera but I was wondering if there is an easier way. I would like to connect to it to talk to a HMI package or an OPC server. Thanks in advance!

Buckaroo, Here is a link where you can download the getting started manual. It isn't too bad. If you do need the full blown step7 you can ask your local distributor for a trial copy. Good luck, Khek http://support.automation.siemens.com/WW/l...cedownload=true

Buckaroo, Step7 lite is now free. You can download it off of here. Khek http://support.automation.siemens.com/WW/l...tranet=standard

Here is a download that will give you all the samples and manuals you need to use the cp340. good luck! http://support.automation.siemens.com/WW/l...nodeid=21767738

manmeetvirdi, The 313c-2dp will work. You can actually hook up all your MM4's and OP's right onto the profibus dp network and utilize your MPI port just for your PG. Your OP's will react the same no matter if it is on MPI or Profibus. No keep in mind this is only true for Siemens PGs. If you are using a third party OP then yes put them on MPI. Your resources can be changed for the OPs. The MM4's do not take up any of the comm resources since they are on the DP network. Good luck, Khek

Swim, No problem. I have had extensive history with the Mitsu PLCs all the way from K series to A series to F series to all the FXs. The last FX I used was the FX1N. I still feel one of the best micro PLCs is the FX2N but you are right there is not a world wide acceptance of Mitsu out there. Siemens is still #1 in the world so if you decide to sell your equipment in the global market Siemens would make sense. I graduated from Univ. Wisconsin so yes I was biased towards AB but that bias went away really quickly by the arrogance of the local distributor in Central Indiana and just the arrogance of Rockwell. Working with the S7-200 family has been a very good experience for me and the support line in Johnson City, TN has a bunch of great guys. They are willing and able to help you out. If you are looking for a good distributor in your area check and see if SE Automation/Standard Electric is in your area. They know the S7-200 platform very well and would be willing and able to help you out. Technical stuff I have noticed: 1. If you are doing floating point math the Mitsu stuff sucks in comparison to the Siemens and AB. 2. If you're doing ASCII by far Siemens kicks butt. 3. The wizards in the Siemens software is second to none. No one else has them. 4. The new AB MLogix 1100 looks cool w/ built in ethernet. Don't know how much availability there is on it. No one else has it built in. Siemens has a module you can add on and you can also get one w/ a web server. I don't think Mitsu has it for FXs. 5. Not all ABs can do online edits. FXs you can and S7-224 and above can. 6. Adding function modules in the Mitsu stinks because you have to add code to get it to configure. AB and Siemens you don't. 7. Through put is the same don't let the marketing crap fool you on how fast the PLC scans. 8. Rockwell software is keyed and cost a bunch. Mitsu software is serial number but I believe no key and moderately priced (GX developer). Siemens MicroWIN is inexpensive and no key even though legally it is a one site license. 9. Converting your program from Mitsu to Siemens wouldn't be hard, I've done it. Since Mitsu is octal based it is very easy since Siemens is byte based addressing. Change your Xs to Is, Ys to Qs, Ms to Ms and Ds to VWs. Of course there's a little more than that but truly it isn't that bad. Khek

Siemens sells a battery backed RAM card from Nematron that allows you to do data storage. I'm not sure what the speeds are but it will work with WinAC RTX. The card comes with the proper dll files and function blocks.

Your local Siemens distributor can get you a CD trial demo version of the software. It is fairly new.