noeascencio

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Posts posted by noeascencio

  1. Posted

    Another option is to install a 1747-BAS add on card, that you will use for your LED display. Not very user friendly, but plenty of samples on how to set it up floating in the web. That will free up your RS232 communications port and will let you with an additional RS232 port in the BASIC card as it has two ports. You need to set up the card with a BASIC program for serial port configuration, if you need I can provide some samples. We still use a lot of these card in a lot of our old machines. Once they are set up, vey reliable. 

     

    https://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/um/1746-um004_-en-p.pdf

  2. Posted

    On 1/2/2010 at 10:08 AM, bfdm_mexi said:

    This may not surprise some but I was looking on here for help and found nothing about it. So heres my contribution. I currently have an AB Compact Logix 1769-L23E-QB1B with Ethernet IP and successfully ran a Mitsubishi GOT (1265 but any model using GT designer should work, also RS232 com does too) over the communication with no problems. I had to create a new group of tags, Map them, export them, import them, and then finally used them in the GT Designer software. I can go into detail but I dont want to waste valuable space on the forum unless someone is interested. Being an OEM, the price of the Mitsu-GOT vs the AB-Panelview will save us many thousands of dollars a year. So it is a cost effective alternative to the Panelview. any ?'s just reply.

    Please provide the details. Sharing will never waste space!

  3. Posted

    A little late, hope this helps someone.

    http://help.cognex.com/Content/KB_Topics/In-Sight/Communication/4131.htm

    Here you will find where to find your GSD files in InSight Explorer installation folder, depending on your version:  C:\Program Files (x86)\Cognex\In-Sight\In-Sight Explorer 5.x.x\Factory Protocol Description\GSD

    Cognex does provide an excel template so you can generate your tags depending on the designated addresses, please see attached file with it, and instructions Word file, it works for InSight and Dataman devices.

    For programming, search in Cognex site for "Industrial_Protocols_Manual".

    TIA Portal Integration Guide for In-Sight and Dataman.zip

    1 person likes this

  5. Posted

    You can always use a USB mouse if the touch screen is unresponsive, and copy the project to a flash card, or if you have an USB hub, then connect the mouse and USB thumbdrive at the same time. Also, you can get "ME transfer utility" as standalone (I've got it before), but usually AB requires licence to download its software, even the free one... Getting the project out of the HMI should be your top priority.

    You can always install FactoryTalk View as trial, open your project (you can recompile the runtime into a project if the HMI Factorytalk edition is 5 or higher) and see all the controls so you can create a new project in the brand you like. Just remember the trial has a limit in days, so get hurry to fetch all the information you need. I would do this in your situation. Just make sure before you buy a new HMI that is come with DH+ as I can see you serial port is already used, because the serial port to communicate with the HMI would be the "easy and cheap" solution. DH+ is much more uncommon to still have it as an option, and usually expensiver.

  6. Posted

    Doesn't the AB PLC support Modbus TCP? I think that would be the ideal solution, requiring nothing else than just programming. It will depend on how much and type of data you want to move, even though Modbus doesn't support strings or other types of complex variables, you can always find a work around.

  7. Posted

    Ok, what I know is that Zebras use ZPL language, it is used by serial, USB or Ethernet port, it's the exac same ascii data you send no matter what protocol, and that includes all the data needed to trigger the printer to print. Sometimes the hard part is just get the correct configuration to start transmiting the buffer data, once you got that, then printing is not that difficult, just have to use the ZPL programming languaje user manual and you will get what ever you need done. Easier if you've got an example to learn from, that's how I did it. I have only modified prints over Ethernet in a PLC, but not created one from the beggining, so I toughth I was missing something when you mentioned the print trigger circuit.

     

    @mark papoI have not used an AB PLC to print from it, only Siemens, but should be very similar. Not sure if what you are saying is that you have two PLCs and one printer or two separate printers, one for each PLC. If you only have one, maybe thats the problem as you may have port interference issues. If you have two printers, then check that all the printer configurations are exactly the same as the first one, by the exception of the IP address.

  8. Posted

    22 hours ago, BobLfoot said:

    If I read this correctly CompactLogix_A uses TCP and ZPL to print on Zebra_ZT410_UnitA just fine.  You've cloned that setup to CompactLogix_B using TCP and ZPL to print on Zebra_ZT410_UnitB and it results in no printout despite the PLC side Comms appearing to complete normally.  In your shoes I would check the following:

    1.Zebra A and Zebra B will need unique IP Addresses, do they and did you account for this in the cloning process?

    2. Are you triggering the print with ZPL over TCP or just transmitting the data.  Check your print trigger circuit.  You may have buffered data waiting to be printed.

    3. If you're code is not proprietary or confidential posting it here for others to review might also get you more responses.

    BobLfoot, what is the print trigger circuit? I've worked before with Zebras but haven't hear that term. I'm no expert, so that is why I'm asking.

  10. Posted

    I can confirm Advanced HMI is what you are looking for. I have created data exchange systems with it for AB and Siemens PLCs, using DF1, Ethernet/IP and Modbus TCP (this one for Siemens) and it works great. It's really easy to use, they have a forum with a great community and Archie (the creator) provides the best support directly in the forums, for real. And all for free.

    Been using it since 2013 and helped me to develop my programming skills with VB.NET, it really helps that AHMI is event driven already, it takes out a lot effort of having to code events yourself compared with other paid drivers. To be honest, it is not just a driver, but the whole VB.NET or C# solution what you use to start from.

    Try it, really.

  11. Posted

    I just started with Siemens but have years working with AB, which usually requires a termination character to know the transmission is over. Usually CR or LF, which in Honeywell scanners have to be set up manually to be added at the end of the string. Hope this helps.

  13. Posted · Edited by noeascencio

    I have written some applications in VB.net, not exactly like yours, but data logging into an access database. VB is not hard to learn, there are plenty of tutorials and help over the internet (I've learn this way) to learn whatever you need exactly. I would not use excel as a database, as is risky (anyone can read/modify it) but a simple database like access can help a lot on this, and much easier to use when you learn the basics.

    To communicate VB with AB PLCs I have used Advanced HMI. It's a free semi-open source project as you download a VB project with a big quantity of already developed visual controls and use it to start writing your program from there. You can connect to several PLCs (there is actually no limit) by Ethernet, serial, modbus, OPC, etc. and read variables from them, it has several drivers to use. Like object oriented languages, it has "events" so you can monitor your string in the PLC whenever it changes and start a procedure after that.

    https://www.advancedhmi.com/

    Edit: Forgot to tell AHMI it's based on VB, but you can use also C#.

     

  15. Posted

    You do not need an OPC. There are several drivers and projects to use from ranges of simple excel files to programming languages. I find very easy to use and develop in VB with Advanced HMI https://www.advancedhmi.com/ beacuse its very simple to code in Visual Basic, and the project is also designed to minimize the need of VB knowledge. It not only a driver but has several visual and non visual controls to choose from, communication its very reliable as I've used it in more than eigth projects where some of them are connected to six PLCs monitoring variables and interacting with an access database. There is even ways to make it run as a service, so you can make sure it will be always running in the background.