Andy_P

Great news, well done. Did you end up using the El6695-1001 primary or secondary side in the NJ EtherCAT network?

  Fair enough. However in this case, it means that either Omron is not telling the whole truth, or Beckhoff is not sticking to the rules. In each case, neither side is admitting to any mistakes. That puts end-users in a no-win situation.

Maybe you could map the IO that is connected to the EK1100 coupler (presumably EL1008 etc. or similar) into the NJ and simply pass the info back to the Kuka through the bridge.

Interesting. I'm currently attempting the same thing. I have had trouble using a Beckhoff bridge in the past, namely the EL6692. The NJ simply could not use the secondary side, and I needed a modified ESI for the primary side. I think the same will apply here. Ask Kuka to configure your robot so it is setup as the secondary (which my Kuka contact tells me is no problem for them), then map the EK1100 coupler into your network and use the EL6695-1001 primary. I have used EK1100 couplers before and they present no issues. I haven't been able to physically try this yet, so I await your results with interest!

I've also used SMC stuff without issue. It's Beckhoff I have most trouble with.   Download the Beckhoff ESI library from here and take a look: https://download.beckhoff.com/download/Config/EtherCAT/XML_Device_Description/Beckhoff_EtherCAT_XML.zip

I would like Sysmac Studio / Omron to properly implement EtherCAT devices from third parties. EtherCAT is supposed to be non-proprietry but components are validated by the ETG (EtherCAT Technology Group) as far as I understand it. However, it is common for me to use third party devices (especially Beckhoff) when an Omron alternative is not available. In may cases, Sysmac Studio complains that the .esi is "not supported yet" for a multitude of reasons. I would be inclinded to think that the .esi for a Beckhoff device is correct, since they invented EtherCAT in the first place. Of course, talkng to either party blames the other. This is very frustrating. Either Omron complies with the ETG (of which it is a member) or it doesn't. It would appear that it doesn't 100% do that yet with third parties.

Has anyone been able to produce screenshots of an NA project via File/Print menu option on Sysmac Studio? All this does for me is produce an image of a page showing objects or controls on the page itself, but it does not include anything from pages that are setup as 'background' for the page. This makes producing documentation a real pain. Am I missing something? Thanks for any help.

I am fully up to date with V1.17 and have had no issues.

Improve the printing capability for NA pages. Currently a page is printed without any configured background pages, so the screenshot is incomplete.

I've have been doing the PrtScr method, but it's a shame that the Sysmac Studio Print method is a bit flaky in this area, much like most other manufacturers as you say. The SaveScreenshot function is an interesting one, I had missed that, so that could prove useful. Thanks for the tip.

Puls and Meanwell have been reliable for me.

Check the Output window to see which section has failed to build.

  I can confirm that this works for me too. I am currently using V1.16.  

Seriously, when can we expect to see the ability to force non IO bits? Not having this is a huge PITA when testing / commissioning a system. Constantly having to add and remove test bits is getting very old!    

Not too sure what you mean by this? It is possible to add contacts etc. without adding an address until later. Is that what you mean?

Just to be extremely picky, this is not a .NET rule per se, but a VB rule. C# uses square brackets. It's a pity (IMHO) that the NA screen cannot use C# as the macro language as well as VB, but that's just my preference.

From what I can tell, there is no built-in PLC simulator within RS Logix 5000, and I have to download a separate package that requires another licence to be paid for?   Is that really the case??

System: FH-1050-20 vision controller mapped into the EtherCAT network of an NJ controller, plus an NA HMI. Can the vision output be made to display on the HMI?

    Wow. Really?!

Using a Panelview Plus 7 HMI with FT view Studio. Is it possible to enable/disable a button? I can't  find anyting on the button 'Animations' menu or anywhere else.   Thanks.

Unbelievable. Rockwell should rename themselves "Give me all your money."

Thanks. I'm beginning to get my head around how things are in AB now.

How do I add a constant string to a CompactLogix PLC and RSLogix5000? How do I copy one string to another? I have found links to using the COP instruction, which is fair enough, but the source parameter needs a tag and not a literal. How do I get a value into the tag? Can I really only do it when online? I'm new to Allen Bradley, and finding string usage to be very confusing so far.  

The idea of a tag not tied to any I/O or other updates from the program makes perfect sense, agreed. I am just used to 'monitoring' data when online to a PLC. Seems odd to me to monitor something when not connected.

Thanks for that. I never expected I would need to go to the 'Monitor' tab while offline.