LURBY

I am trying to communicate with a Powerflex 525 drive using a Micro 820 PLC over Ethernet.  I have downloaded a UDFB from AB for positioning mode.  This gives me almost everything that I need but there are a few things missing.  The positioning function uses step logic.  Each step defines a movement (distance) and a speed.  You can preset these parameters and then just step thru the steps.  You can also write a new value to the parameter for different distances and speeds.  I have done it before with MicroLogix and MSG instructions.  Does anyone know how to edit this UDFB to allow me to add a few more "writes" ?  According to AB the UDFB is not "locked" but I have no idea how to change it.  Is there a video or instruction out there somewhere showing how to crack this thing open and add to it? Thanks in advance...Chuck

There is a new Micro 850E that allows you to do implicit messaging to a Kinetix 5100 servo and a Powerflex 525.  I can't seem to find any instructions on how to do it though.  I am also at a disadvantage because I have never used implicit messaging or even Logix 5000 before.  I am fluent in the Micrologix family and RSLogix500 (not that it is doing me much good anymore!)   The Kinetix 5100 manual describes how to set it up in Logix 5000 and I tried to follow along but nothing seems to match up.   Instead of using add-on instructions you use UDFB's.  I have downloaded the UDFB's and set up the modules but now I am stuck.  I don't know how to connect them all.  There is no assembly instruction UDFB.   Has anyone done this before?    Thanks, Chuck

Unfortunately this one did not come with instructions or a sample code.  I can't seem to find any sample code (possibly because this PLC is so new?)  It is the same UDFB's that you would use for Explicit messaging.  I am trying to do Implicit messaging like you would on a Logix 5000.  I am not getting an error because I have not actually written the code yet.

I acquired a Micrologix 1100 (1763L16BWA) from eBay.  It was supposedly new but it wasn't.  It had a fault immediately after power up.  I cleared the fault (without reading the number stupidly).  It cleared and I loaded my program.  Everything works in run mode except for the outputs.  When I call for an output the screen shows that the output is made but I have no continuity across it.  None of them work.  Has anyone seen this before?  The program is functioning properly.  I am controlling Powerflex 525 drives over Ethernet and that part works fine.  It's just the outputs.   Any wisdom would be appreciated! Thanks

I have a Panel View 800 HMI communicating with a Micrologix 1100 over Ethernet. My customer wanted password protection for certain screens and certain people.  I set up three users with passwords.  I did not put in a Change Password object because I did not want anyone to mess with it. They called this morning to say that their passwords did not work anymore.  Anyone have any experience with this?  They put in their username and password and a screen pops up that says access denied.  Works one day then does not work the next.

I solved it.  I found the preset inputs.  Selecting them will jump to whichever step you want.

I have an application using a Powerflex 525 for positioning.  I really should be using a servo but the equipment is already in place. I have it set up with three steps.  First step is my feed.  Jump to the second step (rapid return) with a Logic Input 1 command.  Jump to the third step (ends cycle) with a Logic Input 2 command.  I have "Positioning Mode" (parameter 558) set up in StpLogis-Lst so that if I stop at any point in the cycle I can restart where I left off.  Everything works as it should.  It steps through the sequencer just fine.  The only problem that I am having is that if I stop it midway through a step it will not allow me to jump to the next step because the first step has not reached it's position.  For instance:  First step is an absolute feed motion in the forward direction for 5".  The second step returns this motion back to the home position.  If during the first step I stop it at 2" I can restart it and it will continue the last 3" no problem because it is an absolute move.  What if instead I wanted to go back home?  How do I jump to the next step if I have not completed the first step?

I am trying to read and write specific parameters from a Powerflex 525 to a Micrologix 1100.  I followed the instructions from a Knowledgebase and was able to do it.  By using a CIP Generic - Generic Get Attribute Single MSG I can read parameter 7 for instance without any trouble.  I tried to change the instance in the MSG to read another parameter (388 to be exact).  It did not work.  The MSG sent back an error: error code (in upper byte of MGx:y.22) was returned by Comms module or CIP device I switched it back to 7 and it was fine.  I was told by the Knowledgebase that the "instance" was the same as the parameter.  I thought that changing the instance from 7 to 388 would read the value of 388 instead.  Am I doing something wrong?  Are there certain parameters that you can't read?  Is there something else that I need to change?

I used a "L" data type yesterday and it did not work.  I tried it again today but instead of putting the instance of 388 in the (hex) box like the other parameters I put it in the (dec) box.  That did the trick.  Thank you all for your help.

I tried that and it didn't work. So if the "N" register is 16-bit (2 bytes) and I write the 32-bit parameter to say N14:8 the first 16 bits will fill into N14:8.  Even if I increase the size to 4 bytes where does the rest of it go?  N14:9?

So they are all "N" integers but the number of bytes determine the INT,DINT, or LINT? The first pic (IMG8682) is a screen shot of the MSG instruction for parameter 7.  Writes to N14:6 and the size in bytes (receive) is 2.  It works.  When I look at N14:6 I can see the value of the last fault code. The second pic (IMG8683) shows what I hope to be the MSG instruction for parameter 388.  I have it writing to N14:8?  Should the size be 4?  Will it only write to N14:8 or will it expand?  Where would I look to see the value?

I tried a bunch of different variations LINT and  INT with various sized bytes received.  I keep getting the error code. error code (in upper byte of MGx:y.22) was returned by Comms module or CIP device There must be a way to do this?

You are correct.  They are Read-Only which is all that I am trying to do.  I want to display them on a screen and possibly set the values up in a compare to trigger something else at a certain location.  Like you say I believe my problem is that I was trying to write it to a 16 bit integer slot when it is a 32 bit parameter.  Should I use a Long Integer instead?  Or would would just increasing the size sent work?  How many bytes would this parameter be?  The 16 bit (parameter 7) was 2.  This would be 4?  I'm sorry about the naive question.  I don't know enough about the bits and bytes end of PLC programming to speak intelligently.

I am setting up a Micrologix 1100 to communicate with a Powerflex 525 over Ethernet via messaging.  Everything works well so far.  I just realized though that if I lose my Ethernet cable for whatever reason I have no way of telling the PLC that there is a com loss.  I can monitor a drive fault as long as the cable is there but if the cable is disconnected or breaks the drive will fault and shut off but the rest of my machine will still keep going which would be bad. Long story short is there something that changes state when I fail to communicate with the drive (be it reading or writing) that I can use some where else in the program to shut the system down?

I have written a fairly complicated (at least for me) program for a Micrologix 1100.  I am controlling several Kinetix and Powerflex drives over Ethernet.  There is also a Panelview 800 in the system as well. I have a large list of "parameters" that might change over time.  These are not drive parameters but PLC integer and string values.  They are values that change the feeds and speeds of the drives based on the part that the client wants to run. Is there a way to upload or write to the PLC that doesn't require RSLogix500?  I would like the client to be able to edit a value or two if they want to make a change.  I just don't want to have to be there every time he wants to do it.  I have heard about writing data to Excel but wasn't sure if there was a way to do it the other way. As I write this I realize that it probably can't be done but I thought that I would ask.  Maybe someone has a brilliant idea!   Thanks in advance

I would like to display an alphanumeric message on a Panelview 800.  The PV is connected to a Micrologix 1100 over Ethernet.  I would like the message to be different depending on what happens on the PLC.  For example if B3:0/2 closes I would like to display "DOOR IS OPEN"  If B3:03 closes I would like to display "DOOR IS CLOSED" There is something called STRING DISPLAY but I do not know how it works. Thanks in advance!

I actually have close to 30 different binary "switches" in play.  I have a series of "buttons" on the Panelview that are each tagged to a different binary contact in the PLC.  Each one of the "buttons" has a name (DOOR CLOSE, DOOR OPEN, WATER ON, OIL ON, ETC).  When the button is pressed it closes the tagged binary contact in the PLC and information is moved to a servo drive.  I would like to be able to display the name on a different screen based on which button was pressed.  Not sure I can do that with a multi-state indicator.

I would like to turn a servo motor (slave) relative to the motion of a slide.  The slide will be moved with a hydraulic cylinder.  I would like to attach a linear encoder to the slide and make that encoder the master.  The manual only shows a connection between two servo motors.  I assume that this can be done with just one and an encoder? Does anyone know if there are any specific requirements?  Most linear scales are 5v.  Does it need to be 24v? I don't know much about encoders but the manual shows connection points for A+, A-, B+, and B-.  Seems straight forward enough.......(famous last words)

I am communicating with a Kinetix 300, a Powerflex 525, and a Micrologix 1100 via Ethernet/IP using MSG instructions.  They are all linked through a Stratix 2000 un-managed hub. Everything works fine...most of the time.  Every once in a while I will get a MSG error.  Often happens on startup.  I have written the logic so that it will continue to attempt communication until the error goes away.  It usually does after a few minutes.  Sometimes the error is while trying to communicate with the Powerflex but more often it is with the Kinetix 300. I even tried to eliminate the hub and just direct connect the ML1100 to the Kinetix 300 with an extra cable that I had.  Still got the random error.  Again it corrected itself but I really can't have that happen for no apparent reason. I know that you don't know the exact situation but I wondered if someone might have an idea about what it might be?

Happy New Year    I have a question about homing a Kinetix 300 servo drive.  I am attempting to run this drive in position mode.  The servo motor is connected to a ball screw which in turn is connected to a slide with a tool mounted to it.  I need to define a home position before I can give a position for the motor to travel to.  There appear to be several homing options in the book but they all require motion to a switch or a marker on the encoder.  My method would be touching off the tool and then defining that point as my home position.  I was thinking of jogging back and forth until I reached the point that I wanted to call home and then pressing a "home switch"     The only method that I see that does not require movement prior to homing is method 35.  This is "immediate homing"  This will happen as soon as I enable the drive though.  That might not be correct.  Is there a way that I can use the immediate home method but specify when it will take place?  Is there another method that I am missing?

I am using the Allen Bradley Micro 800 for the first time.  I am converting an old Micrologix 1000 program.  The program used the MCR function as a fault detector.  If all of the faults were clear it brought in MCR.  The second MCR was the last line of the program.  If something went wrong the entire ladder would be nullified.  Worked well. Anything like that in the Micro 800?  If not I am going to have to put a "MACHINE IS READY" contact in every rung. Thanks in advance.

I have a Powerflex 525 communicating with a Micrologix 1100 over Ethernet.  I can start, stop, and control the speed of the drive just fine.  I would also like to read other parameters into the PLC like Current and Fault Code.  How do I send a single parameter that isn't part of the "N41" files? Explicit Messaging?  Datalinks?

Any chance that you could ask him?  Looks like this might be the way to do it but I would love to know what the difference is between those two messages.   Thanks

Thank you. I am using most of those for the start, stop, and speed commands. MSG3 and MSG7 are the CIP Generic reads that I do not have,  They look identical aside from where you are putting them (N5 and N15)?  Looks like you are reading the same thing or am I looking at it wrong?  Is it reading parameter 2?

Sending a 0.0 did the trick.  It ramps down to the speed and "stops" Surprising that AB does not have a STOP MOTION in velocity mode.  Thanks for your help.