EIP Simulation

[friedmators 0]

I have a customer coming in with some Rockwell drives to see if we can control them directly using explicit messaging instead of going through a PLC. I have my end setup but was wondering if there exists simulation software (free) that can mimic some EIP tags and allow my controller to connect and try to read data. I also have a full version of RSLogix so maybe it has some sort of capability like that as well. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks

[Ken Roach 194]

Be aware that I have extensive experience troubleshooting this sort of application and therefore recommend very strongly against it. What sort of controller are you using ? Which model of Rockwell drives are you controlling ? Will you be attempting to use EtherNet/IP assembly objects, or Register objects, or PCCC emulation ? I'm unaware of any freeware software that can easily emulate any of those technologies. You really do just have to test on real hardware.

[billysmithde2 1]

Not precisely what you are looking for, but there are some ideas here: http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/archive/index.php/t-74042.html I'm with Ken - leave IO control to products that support it. Work around it at your own risk. Your time is likely best spent on real hardware as well, unless you have some of these items readily available already, and know how to use them. Codesys has a Raspberry Pi capability that supports EtherNet/IP as adapter, so by definition any class1 adapter will also support some explicit messaging. It's required to just get the class1 connection setup. You may be limited to reading things like IP address, but if the goal is only to read something, it may be enough. Check the supported objects and go from there on the platform you choose to test on.

[friedmators 0]

Thanks Ken, I agree this is a non-standard setup. My only guess is the client doesn't want to spend the money. Rockwell also recommended against doing it this way. The drives are Powerflex 750s and we are using Ovation for control. I can use PCCC or Native for protocol types.

[friedmators 0]

Thanks for the reply.

[Ken Roach 194]

My experience with Ovation and DeltaV systems and salesmen over-stating their technical abilities on industrial networks is long and extensive. If your customer were paying me on a time-and-materials basis I might attempt this, but I'm not going to lead you down that path. It's the wrong approach and you should not do it.

[friedmators 0]

Well we are about to find out. I work for Emerson so maybe I am biased. :)

[Ken Roach 194]

I'm sure you're a fine fellow and a fair player. The guys I was competing with were not, neither technically nor commercially. This specific topic is a sore spot for me, because people who don't take my advice still come back and want me to help them figure out why they are encountering the problems I told them they would encounter. When I help them, I'm diluting the credibility of my original advice. I really do wish you good luck, because I know how good it feels to solve a difficult problem that others are skeptical of.