kaiser_will

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Posts posted by kaiser_will

  2. Posted

    Your application would suit it well to flowcharted code.  A concise flowchart and state machine programming should suffice for your needs.

    What you are trying to do is develop a lead-lag system for determining the lead dog with backup generators identified.  This is a popular concept in waste water treatment, to insure that pump systems see equal runtime.

  4. Posted

    PanelView 1000 technical details, such as ports available (page 6)  http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/td/2711-td007_-en-p.pdf

    PanelView 1000 user manual  (page 184 has programming cables) http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/um/2711-um014_-en-p.pdf

    Do you have the software for uploading/downloading programs to/from this HMI?  PanelBuilder32.

    MOST versions of RSLinx will be fine, but you must use a version that is compatible with PanelBuilder32 software.  PB32 has not been updated in a long time.

    NOTE:  Allen-Bradley DF1 cables are similar to a typical RS-232 serial cable, but are pinned out differently.  For a PV1000, you want a real serial cable.  http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/in/2711-in037_-en-p.pdf

    Which RSLinx driver to use?  This depends on your connection device.  If you have a programming PC with a hard/real serial port, and you have a REAL serial cable, you would select RS-232 DF1 driver.  After you select this driver in RSLinx, you will also want to select the DEVICE drill-down carrot and select ...this is where I have no screenshots and my memory fails me.  Some A-B devices can AUTO-CONFIGURE to set the proper comms settings.

    Someone else jump in and finish it up, please

  5. Posted

    Rockwell's BootP server can be tricky from time to time.  After you set the Micro's IP address with BootP, cycle power to the MicroLogix PLC, open a command prompt (DOS shell) and verify you can ping the PLC.  Make sure, of course, your development PC IP address is set to communicate with the PLC.  

    Once you verify the PC can ping the PLC, then open RSLinx.   Remember in RSLinx there are (2) Ethernet drivers...Ethernet Devices requires you populate your list of IP addresses; Ethernet/IP lists all IP devices that can be seen.

    Please post screenshots.  There may be other issues at play.

    1 person likes this

  7. Posted

    Note that the pressure points are steps of 10 with voltage in 1V steps.  That is a logarithmic scale (Log-base 10).

    Vacuum pressure => measured by sensor => output as analog logarithmic value => analog input into PLC => scaled/converted back into pressure

    I do not believe you will be successful in converting the analog value back into a 1:1 vacuum pressure value.

  8. Posted

    The Micro 1000 also had the optional handheld programmer  http://fr.rs-online.com/webdocs/0027/0900766b800270f4.pdf

    Will the processor power up, albeit faulted?  If so, you may be able to upload the EEPROM contents.  http://www.lehigh.edu/~inconsy/lab/css/ME389/manuals/MicroLogix_Manual.pdf

    What would you do with the contents of the EEPROM?  You could obtain a working Micro 1000 (yes they are obsolete Silver Series, but are still available as NOS [new old stock]), pop in the EEPROM, power up and go to town.

  10. Posted

    Please post the specifics of your application, such as the existing Ultra 5000 servo controller part number.

    The Ultra 5000 line went obsolete in 2013.  Have you tried to install your spare Ultra 5000 servo controller?  http://www.rockwellautomation.com/global/solutions-services/capabilities/migration-solutions/product-search/results.page

    For stand-alone applications, you can consider...Ultra 3000  http://ab.rockwellautomation.com/Motion-Control/Servo-Drives

    Rockwell's latest Kinetix servo specifications.  http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/td/knx-td003_-en-p.pdf

  11. Posted

    Plan A...Post code and screenshots

    Plan B...Since the exercise was coded per instructor's instructions, and the non-working result has been combed through extensively with same non-working results, you could create a new program with one rung to energize one output (your single issue...no outputs will energize).  There could be many, many root-causes of your core issue.

    1 person likes this

  12. Posted

    CompactLogix L32E  use the 1769 I/O family of modules.  http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/td/1769-td005_-en-p.pdf

    This load cell has a 1V analog output signal.  #1769-IF4, 4-channel analog input module, range available of (0-5)V.  http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/td/1769-td006_-en-p.pdf

    What accuracy do you desire with your load cell?  Take the time to work through the math to determine what your accuracy will be.  A 1769-IF4 analog input module will convert an analog input with 14-bit resolution.  You will lose some accuracy through the analog conversion.  Determine if the loss of precision will exceed your allowable accuracy specification.  If you find that the loss of precision is too great, consider finding a load cell with an output range matched to the analog input module, or consider going with an Ethernet/IP load cell that will not require signal conversion.

  13. Posted

    You are using RSLogix5000 and not Studio5000?  Which PLC processor are you using?  You say the program is running, you are online, and "outputs will not go true".  Please provide screenshots or more detail.  A screenshot of the Controller Tags showing they are not on and a screenshot of the code showing the tags are on.  Do you have sealing branches on your code to keep the output coils energized?  Have you searched your code to make sure you do not have the same output coils used somewhere else (i.e., one coil is coded to be off, another coil is coded to be on)?

    Many of us may chuckle, but only that we have experienced the same or had to troubleshoot and fix the same issues before.

  15. Posted · Edited by kaiser_will

    Your 4-20mA signal is varying too much, correct?  The analog input is scaled from 4-20mA to 0-100%; the overall scaled value bounces significantly.  There may be a rounding UDFB, but I am not aware of one.

    My suggestion...either average the scaled analog register or timed move of the scaled analog register.  A free-running timer that moves the scaled analog value to another register after one-shot event of the timer being done, before you reset the timer.  We often pursue this "debounce timer" method with proximity sensors to insure they are ON for time before accepting their state.

    Lastly, a wise guru on a similar post suggested a great idea that often gets overlooked...filtering.  Logix allows for some I/O points to have filtering functions that can be enabled.  I am not familiar with the Micro820 to know if it has this ability (typically in Controller Tags, look at the default TAG.FEATURE to find the filter parameter.  Filtering the analog signal will do similar as adding a debounce timer.

  16. Posted

    I believe what is causing you trouble is...the original MER file, when created, the RSLinx connections are different (on that development PC) than it is now on your PC.  

    I am trying to do this off of memory as we do not have a similar system on the floor to plug into at this time.  On the Design tab in FTView, drill until you see your PanelView device.  Once you see that device, select the COPY TO TARGET button.

    Episode 5 should guide you through the steps.  http://minute.theautomationblog.com/category/flashback/

  18. Posted

    This is an existing machine and not a new machine startup, correct?  The system had been working properly and now is not, you noticed the MicroLogix 1200 Fault and Run LED indicators were both lit, correct?

    Refer to page C-1.  Take note for FAULT light, there are 3 possibilities (OFF, ON-flashing, ON-solid).  Is the FAULT light ON-flashing or ON-solid? 

    http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/um/1762-um001_-en-p.pdf

    Page C-2; if RUN + FORCE + FAULT all flashing => PLC operating system fault

  19. Posted

    First, map out the scope with more detail.  You have a control network with a PView Plus HMI and a FTView SE SCADA node; you want an interlock so that which ever node is used, that the other is locked out.  

    You mention FTView SE through your PC.  Is that a 3rd node?  Or, when you are connected to the control network with your PC and running FTView SE, you want the PView Plus to be locked out?

  21. Posted

    Your objective is to monitor an electric motor's temperature?  What is the driving force...prevent premature failure?  Is this an VFD-driven AC motor, a servo motor or a DC motor?  What type of thermocouple are you planning to use (i.e, Type J, Type K, etc.).

    There are many, many ways you can get a thermocouple temperature to be displayed on the HMI.  You will need to be specific with the PLC processor platform, ControlLogix or CompactLogix.  There is a difference in I/O to bring the thermocouple into.

    Your base choices are...standalone temperature measurement device with the thermocouple, or an RTD PLC module.

  22. Posted

    Your professor has put you in a pickle by setting the HMI to default with DHCP turned on.  With DHCP, Ethernet-based devices are plugged into a network and awaiting a unique IP address to become part of the network.

    Allen-Bradley software typically installs a utility BOOTP for addressing DHCP-enabled devices.  This Work Instruction is for an A-B PowerFlex VFD, but the process is the same.

    If I remember correctly, there is a backup method to configure the HMI's IP address through its internal Configuration.  During power up, the screen is black except for a small, white box in the corner (lower-right or lower-left).  Press this small, white box during power up to go into the Configuration screen.  There you can disable DHCP, set the IP address to static (fixed), cycle power.

    Work Instruction - Allen-Bradley PowerFlex 525 VFD Startup.doc

  23. Posted

    If you have an Ethernet-based device, but you do not know the IP address of the device...download and install freeware WireShark onto your development PC; if you are using a laptop, disable your wireless adapter; plug into the Ethernet network; run WireShark and sniff out what devices are communicating.  It takes a little while to get a handle on what WireShark is telling you, but you can ascertain the originating Ethernet address of a device.

    Allen-Bradley typically has a canned MAC addressing protocol for their devices.  MAC addresses are unique for every Ethernet-based device, with the first X hex registers being the same for A-B and the last Y hex registers being unique (00:00:BC:xx:yy:zz)  In WireShark, when you see an entry from a device with the 00:00:BC MAC address, WireShark can give you a clue as to the Ethernet address or pinpoint the address.

    Once you think you have a handle on the Ethernet address, set the IP address of your Development PC to communicate with it.  If the process can allow you to disrupt the PLC Ethernet network, pull the Ethernet cable at the processor and verify in WireShark that the connection has stopped.  Plug the PLC back in.  Pull up a DOS command prompt and ping that mother.

    Before you are done, do everybody a favor and write the Ethernet address on a sticker and put it inside or on the PLC processor.

  24. Posted

    PCMCARTNEY1...I have a large Word file honey pot with steps and screenshots for VMware Workstation & Allen-Bradley support.  If you have interest, message me your email and I will DropBox it for you (it is too big to upload).  I love love the VMware environment for A-B support, but there are a number of sticky points that have to be dealt with properly (licensing, port sharing, USB-to-Serial converters, etc.)