glennlee

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Posts posted by glennlee

  1. Posted

    Hi Everyone! I often have to control horizontal conveyors. I have control code that allows me to control speed accurately. What I DON'T know how to do simply is to step immediately to a higher or lower speed with any accuracy and then settle at the new speed quickly. I do NOT want to use PID (Mainly because I can't seem to grasp how it works). My only solution has been to manually set the conveyor to several speeds in sequence and note the setting for the analog card. I then interpolate between these points to jump the speed to my best guess, then allow the feedback correct the speed. I guess what I need is a way to switch between a fast ramp and the accurate control once within a small percentage. (I think I answered my own question). Or, if any of you have come up with a clever(er) way of doing this, Please let me know.

  3. Posted

    Hi All. I searched the forum first to no avail. I am using a SLC5/03 with the latest firmware. I HAVE a RTC and can see it in the controller properties, but I cannot find a "Day of the Week" register/value anywhere. I have heard that there is a way to calculate it based on the date, but I haven't found it yet. I am making a "Time Clock" for the customer so that they can choose the days of the week to turn ON their heaters ahead of the operator arriving to start the machine up. If anyone can point me to the calculation. I would be ever so grateful!

  4. Posted

    I looked both in the installation CD and the Bitmap file on my PC and only found one "3D" button that was for monochrome. I added color and it looked ok. I'll have to create a variety of them made to variaous sizes to fit within the existing buttons as a graphic. Too much work at the moment. Plus I need to match the screens' colors. I think I'll stick with my last statement and refuse anymore panelview std. jobs. Regards, Glennlee

  5. Posted

    Thank you all who responded.. I did manage to import a few graphis to make the screens prettier but I didn't find any buttons, and I don't want to take the time to try an make one....Yet. I tried exporting stuff from RsView but no luck. Strangely, my best imports came from the touchscreen stuff from Automation Direct! I found some things I'll try to make active later. I think the solution to this is to resist any other clients' wanting this screen and insist on the PanelView Plus! I've used it a couple of times and got great results. I understand about the suggestion using multi-state graphics. I may experiment with that later. I have to get the REAL work done first! Thanks to all again!

  6. Posted

    Hi All. I am creating the screens for a Panelview 1000 color (std, not plus) with Panelbuilder32. I have overcome most of the shortcomings of this rather primitive screen and software, but I am frustrated by one thing: Where are the 3D objects? I typically use 3D buttons and framed lamps/indicators, but I cannot see any in the standard library. I don't know how to create them myself. Does anyone know where I can buy/beg/borrow/steal a set of 3D symbols for this screen? Side question: I haven't found a way to change the screen-change buttons from anything other than dark-blue. Can these buttons be modified? It's too bad RsView can't work with the standard panels! Thanks!

  8. Posted

    Hi All. I haven't used PanelBuilder in a while. I have a project where the customer INSISTED on a PanelView 1000 color. (I at least mangaged to insist on Ethernet for comms) I cannot BELIEVE how primitive this screen and the PanelBuilder software are! Anyway: I cannot find any lamps or indicators for bits. Am I missing them? I have the latest version of PB32 (3.82.01 Build 451) If I cannot indicate the state of some bits, I'm royally screwed! Thanks!

  9. Posted

    He HAS been taking MORE than a mile. Part of the problem was I was LETTING him. Update: Since I have sent a fromal letter telling him that I will renegotiate all future contracts, my back-payments have started coming WITHOUT my having to ask for them. Perhaps this is a case of attitude adjustment of "Oh; You're seriously considering turning down future work!? Perhaps I have over-stepped or pushed/squeezed too much". I have also noticed a less familiar attitude and a tad more respect. when I go to this client. Thank you all for your feedback. I needed a perspective other than my own. Warmest Regards to all!

  10. Posted

    Hi Sleepy. I sent the client a letter telling him that any future contracts will be re-negotiated. The detailed task list during start-up is a good idea. I already keep a task list as I find and solve problems. I'll add times to it as best I can to be fair to both of us. Thanks to all of you for you suggestions. I always want to be fair, but I want to get PAID too! And I detest conflict. Glenn

  12. Posted

    Hi All. I am at a loss as to how to charge for the time it takes to start up a system. I have one client that I develop PLC code and touch screen interfaces for on an on-going basis. I have an agreement with him, but he is interpreting it very broadly. I am spending what I consider to be excessive time on-site to start up the systems. I often spend time waiting for functions to be completed and wired so I can verify I/O and test my control of them. I want to re-negotiate our agreement, but I need some way to define how I charge for my time. If any of you know of a "Flat-Rates Book" method, or have something that works for you, I'd appreciate you sharing it with me. Thanks

  13. Posted

    Thank you Ron. I used the information from your post and other information I gleaned from other areas to cobble together the beginnings of a fault routine. In the meantime, I have added traps at the end of each file to set a bit if the S:5/0 bit goes ON, then clear the S:5/0 bit. So far, I haven't seen a fault. I also combed through the files for all math routines and added conditions to the qualifying lines. There were fortunately only a few possible rungs that I hadn't already conditioned. Since it looks as if I am going to be dealing with A-B from now on, I'll have to develop better programming techniques and be more aware of where faults can arise. This will make me more aware of programs I develop for other PLCs as well. Thanks again Ron. Regards, Glenn

  15. Posted

    Hi All. I have dealt with minor errors caused by counter over-runs and the like. I have a new one that I haven't found yet, but I will. My question is: When I was doing RS5000 programs, I had an area that the PLC would execute at start up to clear errors. I also had the ability to create an error-handling routine for run-time errors. I will research this some more on my own, but does RsLogix 500 allow me to build error routines? Does anyone have an example? I see in the Processor Status that S:29 refers to a "Fault Routine" Where do I put it and what do I need to include? Thanks in advance. Glenn

  16. Posted

    Hi All. Thanks for the reply. It was a case of "Better to ask the obvious than suffer in silence". However, I must defend one statement: You CAN send modified web pages to the SLC 5/05. From the AB journal of June 2005: "More sophisticated Web pages are also an option. Web-User-Provide Pages (WUPP) and Web Custom Data Monitor pages allow users to create custom Web pages that provide, for example, executive summaries of process information. These can be in the form od HTML pages containing data table elements, text and images, or Custom Data Monitor pages containing data table elements in table form. The addition of a web-to-page download feature in Rockwell Software RSLogix 5 Version 5.2 and RSLogix 500 Version 5.2 allows users to load custom Web pages into the controllers. " The article goes on about memory use. You can read the entire article at: http://www.ab.com/abjournal/june2005/features/slc/ The article was an eye-opener tfor me. Thanks to all!

  18. Posted

    Hi Guys. Dumb question: Can I use the Ethernet port in the SLC 5/05 CPU to do my programming? I have seen in the Rockwell literature that it has a web page in the CPU and anyone can get a status of the PLC, and you can even load in a custom web page, but NOWHERE have I seen implicitly written that the ethernet port can be used for programming! I have told two clients that it CAN'T and now I think I will have to retract that statement (I hope!) The reason I am asking is that I need to be able to access the PLC and touchscreen via the internet. I will connect the PLC and touchscreen to a hub/switch/router in the enclosure and have a jack on the side for their network. I've done this using another brand of PLC and it works well: They set up a VPN (Virtual Private Network) access for me and I have used it extensively. I would like to do the same here.

  19. Posted

    Hi Guys. I was able to get an answer from A/B as to how to do this. I will be testing it soon, but I will include their answer here for the future "To maintain a counter at its current value, just turn off the enable bit for that counter in the counter control block. This will maintain the current count value, but prevent input signal from performing additional counting on that channel. Re-enabling the bit will allow the counter to run again. The counter enable enable bit is found in bit 00 of words 1-4 (corresponding to counters1-4) of the counter control block. More information on this bit can be found on page 4-24 in the 1746-HSCE2 User Manual (Publication 1746-UM002B-EN-P), which can be found at www.ab.com/literature. Just use the 'Search By' function on the right-hand side of the web page and search by the publication number listed above. As for resetting a counter, you can use the counter's soft preset bit in the counte control block to reset the counter to zero. An example of how to do this can be found in out Knowledgebase at the following link: http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi...p?p_faqid=17973 . If you want the counter to reset to zero, make sure that you configure the counter preset value to zero in the min/max count value block." I hope anyone facing the same frustration with the archane structure of the controls for this module will take heart that A/B will answer E-mails

  20. Posted

    Thanks Ron. What I learned is the for MINOR edits, I'll leave the key in REMote. For major additions, I'll go off-line , then Download and test. It takes too many key strokes to do large changes like initial development in Remote. Thank you for the reply. Warmest Regards, Glenn

  21. Posted · Edited by glennlee

    OK: I took a short nap to clear my head and tried again. This time when I tried to save an Edit, the program again prompted me to turn the key, BUT I read a little closer and the message said PROGRAM OR REMOTE! I apparently missed the bit about Remote. I then did the procedure suggested in one of the earlier posts about testing the edit, then assembling the edit, and it worked. That is a LOOOOONG way around the barn to simply do an edit. I think I will save that feature for when I simply cannot stop the system and need to do a single line or so. For now, I will work off line or turn the key when asked, as I am writing a new project and have a LOT of work to go. I just like to test an example before commiting to a section of code. Thank you all for your patience.

  23. Posted

    Hi Guys. I tried moving the key to the middle from RUN to Remote run and did an edit: I accepted the edit and the line begiining went al "I"'s and the original line went to all "R"'s I then tried moving the key from PROG to the middle and (Remote Prog) and it accepted the edits, but the PLC is NOT running! I STILL have to switch the key back and forth! ARRRRRGH!