DESPERATELY SEEKING SLC PRINTING HELP

[mjisaacs 0]

I am in the middle of a project, and the proverbial kink just got thrown in on me. I am replacing an existing weight batching system with a PLC and a weighing module for the slc series. All seems ok, but I just was just informed that the boss is expecting the system to print batch sheets that are at least similar to the ones that the old velcon system printed out, using a serial line from the system to a PC and printer. The system has already been torn out, so I can't turn back. But i also can't commission my system until I can print. I have done a lot of things with a SLC, but printing is not one of them. I know you don't need all the details, but for your info, I am running a 7 slot rack, a hardy WS card (for weight), a 32 point DC in, a 32 point DC out, a 2 in 2 out analog v card (to control drive speeds), and the MAC DADDY of all SLC's, the 1747-L553 processor. I am using a 2711-B5A20 Panelview, and an industrial hub to tie it all together with ethernet. I am not using the com port on the PV or the processor. Any help or suggestions with how to print would be greatly appreciated.

[rpraveenkum 5]

use SLC serial port connect to the serial printer using ascii inst sen the command the command to the printer to print also you can use the Basic to do so panelview serial port won't support the printer interface

[TimWilborne 108]

What type of printer are you using or do you need to find a printer also? Was it a receipt style printer such as you see in restaurants? If so search for POS or Point of Sale printers. Many are serial, work with SLCs, and some are Nema 4 for panel mounting

[Guest]

what is your deadline? ... if you can hold off a week or so, I'll be glad to write the code for you ... I've got other irons in the fire right now - or I'd get started on it tonight ... also - you need to tell the forum EXACTLY (or at least VERY close) what your printed form needs to look like ... post a PDF or a screen shot or SOMETHING for us to work from ... for any PLC-resident variables (parts count, total weight, etc.) tell us where in the PLC that data will reside (example: total weight = F8:34; parts count = C5:12.ACC; etc.) and give us a min-max range of values ... also ... is the printer going to use fan-fold paper - or sheets - or rolls? ... another route to consider: maybe you could have an external program (Excel, VB, etc.) linked to the PLC ... that program might be able to retrieve the data from the PLC at "print time" and then print out a report with a nice professional format ... that's the way things like this are usually done ... if I understand what you've posted so far, the project that you outlined is certainly do-able ... but using the ASCII commands usually takes quite a bit of tweaking to make everything line up properly ...

[mjisaacs 0]

Ron, I am looking to go "live" next Tuesday or (at the latest) Wednesday. Using sheet fed paper (std laser printer), and I have not discounted using the existing computer. Looks like they are using some VB code and a database. The ops are allowed to go back and reprint, if needed. They also have to maintain a database of the batches (for ISO / QS compliance), (this is all stuff I've discovered this morning), and the job will just go a lot smoother if I can reuse the old external hardware. With that being said, it looks like some kind of proprietary database, or one I've never seen, at least. Since the old hardware has been taken down (and I don't want to mess with trying to get it back up), how do you suggest I approach finding out how the data needs to be formatted? I have an old batch sheet, but it only shows me the ingredients in that run, not the serial data format I need from the PLC. Any suggestions?

[Guest]

based on that statement, is there anyway that you can get your hands on a copy of an old sheet? ... the reason that I asked about the paper type is that when the format requires more than about 60 lines, then you MIGHT have to start thinking about "page breaks" so that you don't chop a single line of text up on two different sheets ... ("MIGHT" depending on how fussy your boss is about margins, etc.) ... anyway ... your deadline is probably not going to let me participate too much - but I'll see if I have any code at home that might be helpful ... I used to have a "serial-to-parallel" converter for projects like this ... I'll try to dig it out ... I think it came from Black Box if I remember correctly ... basically it took the serial output from the PLC's Channel 0 port and made it acceptable for a modern parallel printer ...