[PLC Sample Code] - PC Module Status

[Ken Roach 194]

File Name: PC Module Status File Submitter: Ken Roach File Submitted: 18 Sep 2006 File Category: PLC Sample Code In applications where unreliable IP transports (such as wireless) are used some users report "flaky" Produced/Consumed tag connections and I/O connections over EtherNet/IP. Rockwell never recommends wireless Ethernet for I/O but some users overlook this recommendation or install links that should be reliable enough but due to installation or configuration issues are not and need to be troubleshot with the participation of the control system. This logic example is a diagnostic tool to provide a timestamp and duration for connection faults. It is written for a controller Producing data to another controller over EtherNet/IP but would work the same for a connection across ControlNet or the ControlLogix backplane or for an I/O connection. The program was written using RSLogix 5000 v12.06. Just putting the remote Controller into this Controller's I/O tree is enough to establish a connection; the Produced/Consumed tag (called Produced_Data on the producer side and Consumed_Data on the consumer side) is not strictly necessary. I've used logic like this to find interference from motion controllers or heavy motor starters as well as microwave oven interference in the 2.4 GHz range. It's not a cure-all diagnostic tool but it can tell you when and how often a connection is failing. This logic may be used in conjunction with the traffic analysis tool triggering example to capture data on an Ethernet network on both sides of a connection failure event. Click here to download this file