Paolo_911

In a simple bench test, I am trying to communicate between two Q03UDECPU PLCs through a QJ71E71-100 module (both in Slot 0 on the racks) through a 3 foot Ethernet cable. I get an instruction error when I try to execute the GP.Read instruction. It doesn't give any indication why it fails, but the CPU faults out trying to execute this instruction. Any help would be appreciated.      If you want, I can attach both PLC programs. 

I believe I am using a crossover cable between the two QJ71E71-100 Ethernet modules, but maybe I need a switch in between (?) . My laptop PC is connected via USB to PLC1. I did discover my first mistake, as I had the network number wrong in my control data D2004. Now I don't get an instruction error, but now a Comm error which I need to look into. In a loopback test it appears that PLC1 is not able to communicate with PLC2.

Oh! Okay, that makes a lot of sense. I was never sure, or never looked hard enough to figure that out (PC vs PLC side). THANKS A LOT !

Wow! Thank you for the reply as it is all great information. I hadn't considered your last point regarding DRY, but that is very helpful in developing this! Speed isn't an issue as we are merely collecting a set of registers or different sets of registers for data collection purposes every couple hours on a given machine. It is a collection of data all at once. We may run into a scenario where we attempt to collect data on multiple machines at once, but we are more considered with reliability and ease of setup & future use. I think I decided we are going to pull data from each PLC via a master, once it is signaled to do so based on your last point about repetitive code change (DRY). I was also made aware that the MES module is limited in the number of devices it can connect to. I did not realize, nor do I quite understand what you mean by a limitation on sub PLC connections, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Thanks! 

Here is our setup, QJ71MES96US module in a PLC rack connected to an Ethernet switch. Also connected to this switch are several PLCs (Q03UDECPU) through an Ethernet QJ71E71-100 module with which we hope to collect data.  There are two different ideas floating around, one being that upon a trigger the MES pulls data from each PLC. So each PLC would need to be added as a device inside the MES workbench software. The second idea is that we place a CPU locally in the rack with the MES module and the MES only pulls data from the one PLC. In this second scenario each PLC, if possible, would push data through the Enet switch onto the one local PLC. I imagine this may be possible, but I'm not familiar with how. In another area of our plant this is the way we do it, but through a GOT, which I didn't want to do again. The reason it uses a GOT in that area to push data upon a trigger is because we are connecting to older PLC CPUs (A-series I think). My thought is that it would be easier to just pull data from all the several PLCs, even though I believe my manager and I.T. department are leaning to do it the other way, granted they don't know PLCs or PLC programming. We are all open to weighing our options though, so would anyone be able to chime in on advantages and disadvantages or even touch on simplicity to compare these two options?  

Thanks guys, I am using the QJ71MES96US module, not CCPU. My IT department did send me the log which is attached here and I do have access the MES Workbench. However, my I.T. department does all the programming in there as I am unfamiliar with it. They have discussed trigger times with me, but I'll discuss it with them again to look at the scan and trigger times if adding an Ethernet module doesn't solve the issue. Thank you for all your guys' help though!    

In the MES log files it confirms my observations that we are losing communication from the PLC to the MES US module on a daily basis, even a few times daily. The Q03UDECPU communicates with the MES module through its CPU front port through a 116TX N-tron Ethernet switch. If anyone can help ensure consistent communication without dropping connection that would be appreciated. I'd also like to know if anyone would share PLC program ideas to make sure I have constant communication with the MES module. Should I just use a simple timer that waits for the MES module to toggle a bit, then fault out if the bit isn't toggled within a certain period of time? It feels too simple to be robust haha. Anyways, any ideas on this communication would be appreciated.      I  should also note that I have an EIP4CCPU module in the same rack as the PLC that is connected to the same Ethernet switch looking at other Ethernet IP devices. I wouldn't think this would be causing traffic (due to fast RPI?) or issues in the Enet switch, but I figured it is worth mentioning in case anyone has any reason to believe this is an issue. 

In a nutshell, I'm going to try using the Ethernet module QJ71E71-100 instead of the front PLC port and let you know how that works out to resolve this poor connection between the MES and PLC. 

Thank you both for your reply, and I apologize for my delayed thanks. The MES module is on a separate rack, and communicates through an Ethernet switch to the FRONT PORT of the PLC on another rack. I am not sure what you (kaare_t) meant by separating networks, but I believe EthernetIP is an Allen Bradley network protocol. As for your other question, when I say MES US I am referring to the QJ71MES96 module. NeilBDSSA I was NOT aware the Mitsubishi recommends AGAINST using the front port for anything other than light work. I am in the process of purchasing an Ethernet module to place in the rack to see if that solves this issue, which by what you said it most likely will. I'm not sure if the MESIT module is faulting out. How can I tell if the module is faulting out? Currently we don't have anything monitoring the MESIT module in the way of programming or anything, which I'm sure is bad. We are new to the MES system and I had posed the question of how to monitor it through the PLC, but didn't get anywhere with it. Perhaps you could help in this regard as well so we can keep a close watch on its status and alarm/fault if need be. I don't believe the Ethernet switch is a managed switch though to answer your other question. The only way we knew we lost connection, was that we were having issues and looked at the MES log file. I'm not sure how my I.T. department who handles the MES programming got this log file though. It just stated that it lost connection with the PLC, basically. 

I synced the PLC clock in a Q03UDECPU to my PC. It updated in the software and then I executed it (synced the PLC to it). However, when I close the settings and go back, the clock is slow by 3 seconds consistently. Why is this? How can I accurately sync the PLC clock to my PC with exact seconds? Anyone else experience this or is this even possible? Another way I know the PLC clock is 3s slow is because I set up a SNTP server from the PLC which the GOT looks at. Again the GOT clock is 3 seconds delayed from my PC. This brings me to another point, in which I turn on the SM1028 bit (clock read request), but nothing turns on in SD1025 to SD1028 as the manual says it should. What am I doing wrong that I can't read the PLC clock into registers?  

Actually, I just had a thought. The PLC is actually connected to an MES US interface module through an Ethernet switch. We are going to look into whether or not we can sync the PLC and GOT time to whatever time the MES is running. I just don't know if the MES US module can broadcast its time as a SNTP server where the PLC and GOT can read from. 

Thank you! I will program in that instruction. I only have a SNTP server on my computer. So I was trying to sync the PLC to my computer. The one PLC is connected to the GOT and that's it. I figured it would be difficult to figure out why the PLC is 3 seconds off. It just seems odd that it isn't able to accurately sync to my computer. 

In GXWorks2, using a Q03UDECPU, is it possible to move data with length specified in bytes (8bits) rather than words? I have data coming from a Datalogic scanner, which overwrites data rather than resets/clears it. This data length is specified in bytes, and so I am currently doing math (dividing by 2) to get the number of words to move. This is a problem because it obviously rounds and so sometimes I move an extra byte of data that affects my process. Example: /  D3012  K2  D3013   (D3012 is 8bit/byte length) and D3013 is word length MOV  D3013  D200  (I want  to use D3012 here, but can't) If I can't use byte length, then maybe there is a way to check to see if D3012 is an odd number. If it is an odd number then I could clear out the last half (8 bits) of D200, after I move the data over?

Thank you both! Thanks Veganic for the mystery haha. Would it be WAND HFF00 in the top rung and WAND HFFFF in the bottom? 

SOLVED - Turns out I didn't have the EDS file registered for the scanners and so it wouldn't allow access to change any settings on the device. 

I have a Q03UDECPU communicating on the same rack through an EIP4CCPU-S (EIP Scanner for Q12DCCPU-V) to Datalogic cameras that are scanning barcode data. The trouble is scanning a longer set of barcode data and then a shorter set. When the new (shorter) barcode data is read from the scanner, the tail end of the previous data (longer) is still present in the registers after the new barcode data (on the tail end). We studied the scanners and I am left to believe that the PLC isn't clearing the register somehow, even though I have tried to clear it. Can someone please explain if the attached PLC code and parameters are constantly pulling data from the scanner? I am not familiar with EIP configuration at all. The data I'm looking for is in D2005 - D2069 and I can move 0 into these registers, but as soon as I remove the force to push 0, it updates with the same barcode data that was in there before (with the longer data still on the tail end). Please see the attached parameters and PLC code and explain if there is a way to clear U3E1\G10000 or if it is a live feed pulling the scanner's data as it appears to be, which is useless to clear D2005 +....     

How can I remove all labels from a PLC program in GXWorks2?  I received a program and want to remove all labeling. The trouble I'm having is the extra step / time to conduct online edits and compile them and I also need to compile the program every time I open it in order to use cross reference AutoTracking. This is the reason I want to remove all labeling/labels from the PLC program.

My goal is to map data (M101-M104) that is remotely turned on/off from our MES US module over to either a D-register or L bits. Only reason I thought L bits was to keep their value upon a power loss, but data shifting is much easier with D registers (and I believe these can be latched in parameters to hold their value also). Then I want to pass this data in the D-register (shift it) through our line to the other stations in order to make decisions on whether the original data (M101-M104) was turned on/off in the first station. Here is what I have so far, and haven’t tested it yet so correct me if I am wrong: BMOVP K1M101 D0 K1     (moves M101-M104 into the lower four bits of D0) So M101 is moved to D0.0, M102 to D0.1, M103 to D0.2 and M104 to D0.3) DSFLP D0 K10 (moves D0 to D1, D1 to D2...D8 to D9, where D0 = station 1 data, D1 = station 2 data....D9 = station 10 data) I can then make decisions by looking at D(station#).(bit #) For example, ---||---D2.0 would be station 3 looking to see if M101 was turned on back in station 1. Here is where I am stuck though; I want to be able to add/insert data (bits) as the box/data pass through a station. This would involve mapping more M bit data (M105-M107) from our MES module to the same shifting data registers, but at other stations. For example, M105-M107 turn on in station 3 and I want to insert this to D2.4 –D2.7 in station 3 without affecting the other bits in D2 (D2.0-D2.3 which is station 1 data). I could map the data to a different register, but I’m not sure how to shift multiple D registers multiple times without overwriting data. Maybe I could use the DSFLP instruction 5 times to shift the data if there are 5 stations for example? In a nutshell, how can I map data at the first station and shift it through stations while also being able to map more data in other stations to finally reach the end station and make decisions based on all the data. I am using a Q03UDECPU  

I think I'm just going to have each station have a reserved number of D-registers and shift them at the same time unless someone can help come up with a better plan. I'm sure I made this wayyy more complicated than it needs to be. This is the first time I am trying something like this. Max 10 stations, D0-D9 Station 1 data, D10-D19 Station 2, D20-D29 Station 3...etc., where D0 is station 1 data at station1 and D1 is station 1 data at station 2...etc. One input trigger to shift all the data at once, BMOVP K1M101 D0 K1 DSFLP D0 K10 DSFLP D10 K10 DSFLP D20 K10 DSFLP D30 K10 Then at Station 3,  BMOVP K1M104 D22 (D22 because D22 = "station 3 data at station 3" since D12 = "station 2 data at station 3" and D2 = "station 1 data at station 3") This way I can track all the station data along and shift it together with the same trigger. I will also have an awareness where each station's data is stored and easily observe it being passed through as long as my timing is correct and doesn't pose any issues with moving station 3 data (M104) into D22 at the correct time to coincide with the trigger.   

Thank you very much! It is a Q series. I appreciate your assistance. 

How do I clear out the first half of a data register? I tried the * (multiply instruction) with 1111 1111 0000 0000, but that is 65280 which GXWorks2 does not accept. Example, *P  D100  K65280  D100 I haven't found another instruction to perform this task, but will look through the programming manual more thoroughly tomorrow. 

Nevermind guys, through trial and error I got it to work. 

How can I check the RS-422 settings of a Q2AS CPU ?  I need to configure an HMI program to match the RS-422 settings of the PLC in order to communicate.  I have the PLC program, but can't find where to look or know if I need to be online. 

Update: I have Mitsubishi support coming out on-site to help. No need for a solution. 

I have a Mitsubishi MES US network module ( QJ71MES96US ) connected to an Ethernet remote PLC (through an Enet switch). I'm not sure if this matters, but the remote rack has a Q PLC and an Ethernet master module kit (Q03UDECPU-EIP-K is the kit that has a Q03UDECPU and EIP4CCPU next to it). I am wondering if and how we connect the MES to a Q PLC over Ethernet to pull data. A coworker has configured the MES US module to talk to a PLC in a local rack, but never to a remote rack. If anyone can assist, or even reference a manual that would be appreciated, thank you.