OkiePC

Is the slave device connected RS485 or RS232?  Your screen shot shows "No Handshaking" which correlates with RS232 pins on CH0, but to use RS485, you will need to choose "No Handshaking (485 Network)".   And you'll need a 1763-NC01 or equivalent to access the proper pins on that port.

If you only want to do this for visualization on the HMI, then you should be able to do that with the HMI software.   If you want to do this for use in the PLC, then multiply by 1000 and store as a DINT, (long integer) then divide by 1000 and store as a REAL (floating point).  This is a general explanation you can use in any PLC or other programming languages since I am not familiar with Mitsubishi gear.  

File Name: Red Lion Crimson G315 Game Exploding Truck Derby File Submitter: OkiePC File Submitted: 04 Jul 2012 File Updated: 01 Sep 2012 File Category: Other PLC Demo Software I got a little carried away with this exploration of rotation animation with Crimson 3.0 r005 2012-07-04:PEC: Improved shields, now available at 100% to start the game, shows up as unfilled ellipse around the truck. Can be used to put out your own truck when on fire.Improved truck steering...still not where I want itadded 2 pages running at enhanced and overdrive update modes respectivelyMade end of game appearance transparent, with action continuing in the background.Improved tag namesfixed problem with restart not workingimproved collision detectionbeginnings of comments r007 2012-07-04:PEC: Added fire button (single shot, level 2 and up)Increased number of animated enemies to 28Changed Game Over font (missing on old XP machine)Altered circular movement of targets r007a: Fixed problem with collision loop (spontaneous explosions!) --Performed conversion to G310, fixed a few over sized fonts and added that version to the zip (soon to test with real hardware!) r008: Made numerous polishing touches: Hero truck is now colored magenta. Some of the images have a transparent background.Added extra lives with indicatorsChanged missile and enemy travel limit logicAdjusted shield rates to make the game more playableRemodeled control panel Bugs: -Missile occasionally gets taken over by Auto program. Sort of a good bug for a video game, so I decided not to fix it yet. I may add a flag later to make this bug selectable. -Images need black pixels replaced with transparent ones to allow alternative play-field colors/patterns. -Observed failure to complete a level when hero is sole survivor. -Still need to tone down speed especially after level ten when using the overdrive update rate (Page3). Wow, at least in the emulator, Crimson is more than fast enough to reproduce the old school arcade action. I am still having fun with this thing, tinkering with pattern animation now, but the little blurb of a graphics speed test turned video-game had no spine. I have successfully inverted the code and wrappered it storybook 2-d shooter style, and will be posting some variation of the Galaga shooter type of level, some mountain jumping. It may be a while before I finish chugging through the new structure, so I can do space invasions and galaga and whatever else. I can't wait to try this on real hardware. Picture a portrait view with the Menu button being a fire button, so you could touch one action and still shoot at the same time, right? This is cool as he<L... Wow, I remember being amazed by the Crimson 3.0 script language on first sight, but now with the graphical editor being a work of functional genius...I am in love. What a powerhouse! Then, I need to turn the pattern matching game result toward a work related packaging department to convince the powers that they don't need more checkweighers, I can upgrade three they have...they started to understand, but I can prove it with real time sensor (photoeye + PLC position tracking logic)...substitute my exploding truck for cases of patties, and show them how they would flow with my process changes...I think I did spend a couple of hours on the clock with this, polishing and uploading it, so my employer should get something back from that effort. So, I need cartons flowing around curves, 180 degrees, 45's, two diverters, case check weigh stations, manual stations, carton sealers, then toward the robot area where theres another diverter. This game engine can already position 40 objects and update their data with such quickness...I will be leery about using the Overdrive mode in a production control setting after reading what Red Lion wrote in the help file... I need some one who understands widgets, to help me make an "Action Figure" widget out of my O tag folder and related graphics elements too. G3 Truck Shoot 'em Up r001 This one is almost playable...minor tweaking could make it more challenging. It allows multiple missiles to be fired with no minimum delay between. This makes it unfair. The other changes are numerous. I turned the program inside out as far as logic flow, and this would enable further expansion and addition. Click here to download this file

I have a big project coming up and one of the customer's complaints is that a telemetry panel with a ML1400 and PV300 standard does not play welll with the pump panel which has a Mitsubishi FX2N and a Mitsubishi HMI. We made plans to update the telemetry panel and as part of the job we'd like to improve the situation with the adjacent pump panel. Our changes include a Red Lion G304K2 HMI so we plan to set it up to communicate with the FX2N serial port and replace the features that exist in the Mitsubishi HMI. This should allow data exchange between the ML1400 and the FX2N so that we would not have to remove, replace or rewire the pump panel to be able to add more options for controlling it. I am probably going to need to make alterations to the program in the FX2N, and at least know what is what in order to develop the Crimson programming to interface with it. I would benefit from being able to open the Mitsubishi HMI, but can probably get by without that if the cost of software is prohibitive. The HMI part number is F940GOT-SWD-E I got with the OEM of the pump panel and he was kind enough to release their PLC and HMI files with my signature on the right forms. I have a folder named PLC with file extension .COW, .DMW, .PMW, .PTW and a folder marked OIT with a file extension of .dup It appears they did the project in 2009. On another forum, I was advised to look for GX-Developer or GX-Works2, and that GX-Works2 is preferred. Now I am not having much luck locating a distributor or trial version to look at. I found the demo version here that does not appear to be 64 bit compatible, so I thought I would ask if there is a more current version or who should I call on to just buy a copy. I can find catalog numbers at meau.com and have located one or two places that claim to be software resellers, but I am suspicious of both websites. I want to find a good deal, not a pirate! So can someone help me out locating a legit software vendor, trial version, provide info about 64-bit compatibility, etc. I do not expect this software need to extend past this project so I only need a version compatible with the FX2N. Thanks, Paul

Panelview Standard = Atari 2600 Panelview Plus = Nintendo Red Lion G3 = Playstation 4 A/B makes great PLCs and PLC software, but Red Lion Crimson 3.0 is the best hardware HMI software I have ever used and it is free. It also supports accurate emulation on your computer that can often be used to talk to real PLC hardware for fully testing your work before buying anything.

This is good information. We have a customer who is (was) using an EZTouch panel by EZAutomation to send emails to a mom and pop internet outfit. That account did not require authentication and has become unavailable. They have internet access from a new ISP but unauthenticated emails are not available from them. The customer would like us to restore that functionality, so would these instructions be pertinent to any type of PLC or HMI (assuming I can perform all the same steps required to set up the restricted gmail account and use external means to find the server IP)? A related question...if we find out that we can't get it done with the EZTouch...we would consider upgrading their RTU board to a DoMore...would the T1H (stackable based on Terminator I/O) be able to support the email instruction just like its big brother?

Teamviewer has a mobile app. It is not the most user friendly for operating HMI controls, and would require that you are able to get to the HMI PC via the internet or wifi network. It is super easy to set up and works great for just looking at values and examining alarms. If you designed a screen with the right sized and controls to fit in your palm, you could make it very functional. Of course you'd be limited to PC based HMI apps. I have not tried this with Red Lion HMI on a phone browser yet, but I don't know why it wouldn't work so long as the HMI is exposed to the web. Of course that last sentence opens up the worm-can of security concerns.

I got my software yesterday, installed it today, and was able to also install the GX Developer software and help files for the FX series PLCs. I was able to import the old project into Developer first, and then into GX Works 2. Wow, it is a huge program for what the PLC is doing. I was a little worried about finding my way around, but once I figured out how to display address comments (thanks, Theo), much of what I needed to see became apparent. Luckily the OEM did comment many of the addresses. I may have to go online with the running controller when I am back on site next week so I can figure out what parts of this program are actually being used and iron out the remaining details. I believe this program is designed to run any possible configuration of this pump skid they might have ever sold and so it contains all those features and options with internal bits used to enable and disable sections of logic. I am hopeful that the HMI 2nd serial port is enabled to allow passthrough so that I can keep the GOT HMI connected and keep using it while connecting my new HMI to that 2nd port for access to FX2N data. If I get that lucky, it will make life easier for sure. Thanks again for the help here!

After many years and dozens of different devices, I finally found one that the Keyspan would not connect with, while the cheap generic one did work. It was the serial port on a radio modem by DataLinc Group: PLR6430. This was repeated with two different PCs. I still recommend the USA-19HS for everything else, but it does not hurt to hang onto some other model too.

Yes, thanks for those details. I ordered a cable from git today, and should be able to get my software in about a week. The quote I received showed a 6 day lead time and the specialist said the same thing about the GX developer software (included with GXWorks) working with the PLC but did not explain that I could open the old files. I am not going to mess with the HMI software. It is going bye-bye anyhow and I should be able to figure out what I need for the Kadet that replaces it from examination of the PLC logic.

I am waiting for the application specialist from a nearby distributor to contact me. I have not found any pricing info. I am expecting to have to upload and work with the PLC logic when I get on site (it's 400 miles away and is running, just may need some minor changes). I will go back and look again and try to find that demo software you mentioned, but if I cannot work with those old file types, I may as well wait until I have licensed software to work with. Now, if the demo software could open those old files and they turn out to be small enough so that the demo software is all that's needed, and I did not need to spend a few hundred dollars on software, that'd be great. It would great mainly because it would save me time. It appears that I may have to wait for a boat from Japan to deliver this elusive software in the end. I think we budgeted $750 for unknown software cost on this project and if it is more than that, it is not a big issue. We are doing enough work there that a thousand dollars one way or the other is not going to kill us.

Great. If there's an oddball out there, leave it to me to stub my toes on it. The folks who shared the file with me had this to say: "The PLC uses FXGP/WIN-EL programming software. The OIT uses FXDU/WIN-EL." Paul

I just started a project using three of them. I would not say they are as advanced as CompactLogix, but are a big step above the Micrologix1400 we use for most jobs. The communications capacity is powerful. The software is a little too much like DirectSoft in some ways. My A/D PLC experience is quite limited and I have been working with A/B stuff for almost 20 years. So far, I have only written two small programs with about 20 rungs each. One is using MRX and MWX blocks to poll 5 Modbus nodes over the serial port and 4 of them are absent. The little unit seems to deal with the missing nodes just fine. I did manage to fill up the serial buffer by setting my polling delay to 0.1 seconds between messages and unplugging the serial port. When I plugged it back in and bumped my timer back up to 0.15 seconds, it recovered all by itself even though only one of the devices is present. I find the instruction set to be powerful, and the CPU speed seems very good. My peak scan time shows to be 0.2 miliseconds at this early stage. I could write a long list of things I'd change in the software, but it is not bad and the price is hard to beat. It would be nice to be able to toggle bits without having to use a Data View window. It would be nice if data view windows would allow address entry in the Modbus address column. It would be nice if I could edit the tag comment from the data view window. It would be nice if the data view window was not always "on top". It is awesome to be able to assign modbus addresses any which way you like. It is awesome to be able to pick and choose addresses in any order and about any data type in a single MRX or MWX (message) command. I like a lot of things about it. I don't like "columns". I have not wrapped my head around columns and why I need them at all, but I did manage to make a mess of a very simple ladder file by deleting all the extra ones and then adding a rung which ended up stretching all the existing rungs to beyond readable. I will eventually learn a "best practice" to deal with it, but it would be nice if the software handled them for me with minimal wasted space. It would be nice to be able to use arrays of tags and be able to comment each instance separately. I started out with arrays, then abandoned them when I found out that I can have only one address comment for the whole array. The built in display on the CPU and analog cards is very cool. It is very bright and you can easily make it display about anything. I have not powered up the analog cards yet, so they only display an error for missing power source, but I have done a lot of testing with the CPU display and I like it a lot. I'll add more later when I get back to that project.

Thanks for that. I contacted Womack Machine Supply in OKC. They will have their Automation Specialist get back with me soon.

When you close RSLogix, it should "remember" the screen size and return to that next time it is opened. To quickly get the screen sized right, stretch the main window to a comfortable size (not maximized). then click on the menu "Window" "Arrange...", select "Default Project" and click "OK". If you do that, then close it and re-open it, and it is still fouled up, two things come to mind: 1) Run as administrator at least once to make sure the software is allowed read write access to its registry entries where the user preferences are stored. 2) Shut down RSLogix. Hold Shift and Ctrl while starting RSLogix. This should reset the user preferences in the registry to their default settings and hopefully fix any corruption that may have it hosed up.

you could contact one of the food metal and x-ray inspection makers like Metler Toledo or Eriez and let their application engineers try t out. They make inspection systems for packaged foods that can find a piece of hard material like plastic or metal inside a stack of sliced sausages. They can be tuned to the materials and are usually washdown food grade rated machines and not inexpensive. http://us.mt.com/us/en/home/products/Product-Inspection_1/safelineus-xray.html?sem=10010127&bookedkeyword=%2Bx%20%2Bray%20%2Binspection%20%2Bsystems&matchtype=b&adtext=34041009559&placement=&adposition=1t2&sitelink=[name]&network=g

We'll need more info to help. If allowed, I suggest that you zip and attach your Crimson project to a subsequent post, and the associated PLC logic too.

Just a thought, but if the blower causes a false pulse when it first starts (inrush of current) then perhaps a soft starter for the blower would help?

What? All these years I have been using up two to five of them per week... :) +1 more for the follow-up.

When you restore, you can choose a name that does not already exist. If there is no name conflict, try restarting the PC.

Dude, are you really in China? This is my ole bud from the tread lines right?

What you describe is sometimes called Mapping the I/O. I generally prefer to use "mapped" inputs and outputs. a) I don't need the I/O drawings to create a solid control program...I can fill in the I/O address details later... b) I can easily swap the device type in one spot in the code (change a photocell from light operate to dark operate for example). c) asynchronous I/O updates become a non-issue if you sync them yourself. On the downside, there will be more logic, approximately one rung per input and one rung per output. I believe what Bob is saying is that mapped or not, it is the quality of the logic in the middle that matters most... In almost all cases, mapping is purely for convenience and structure, and offers no logical improvement to the machine behavior. More discussion: http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=65861

The only thing different when using the NET-ENI is that you must enable Multi-hop and fill in the fields.

If you mean make the rung go false then true again, then the answer is yes. I would post an example of the ladder that is commonly used, but all of the examples I look at here are much more complex involving multiple messages per node and interlocking and error checking. I will find a good example here though...it's quiet here at work (knock wood) so give me a few minutes.

Cheapest PLCs are to be found at Automation Direct. Most any of the low end gear can be networked with an Ethernet to serial converter. You will have to spend a little more for onboard ethernet. Their new Do-more PLC software includes a simulator. Allen Bradley Micrologix1100 would be a solid choice too. It is very heavily and widely used, and software as well as emulator for the Micrologix 1000 and 1100 can be had for free plus, the 1100 has Ethernet on board. For educational purposes, call the local A/B distributor, most of them are very helpful and they may offer you a better version of the software and loaner gear.