glavanov

FX5 and Zebra serial comms

9 posts in this topic

Hello to everyone,

I have upcoming task related with printing labels on production line.

The PLC is FX5U with FX5-232ADP communication adapter. I am still waiting the industrial priter Zebra ZT230

The plan is tu use the serial comms with RS2 function and send some ZPL strings to the printer.

I read the manuals and i'am bit confused on what tipe of cable should i make for the serial connection.

What should be the control line mode setup... none, normal, interlink or modem?

I have more questions but cable first... :)

According to printer's manual it's configured as Data Terminal Equipment (Page 67 form the attached)

Printer_pins.jpg.8be15501d60b7a97b0eea18Fig_14.jpg.982598907769f03a0c21295894670

Mitsubishi manual page 134 from here: http://www.atronika.com/Mitsubishi/PLC/MITSUBISHI_manual_plc_fx5_serial.pdf

DTE.jpg.fb5e3b18708ac2f124cbf014c447cb6c

So witch one is it?

Tnaks you all in advance and best regards.

 

 

ZT2x0_Serial_Pinout.pdf

ZT2x0_Serial_Pinout.pdf

Edited by glavanov
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You'll need a crossover cable.

The first line from the attached printer manual page states "The Printer is configured as Data Terminal Equipment (DTE)". If you look at the bullet point from the FX5 serial pdf screenshot, it states "When connected equipment is Data Terminal Equipment", which the printer is; you can see the crossover wiring illustrated.

Additionally, look at the pin assignments for the FX5 and the Printer - Both have RxD on pin 2 and TxD on pin 3 indicating the need for a crossover cable. 

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If you struggle doing this and do have ethernet port on the printer, I would suggest switching to Ethernet. It's quite easy to set up using existing functional blocks for socket communication. Everything you need for that is available in Mitsubishi manuals under "ethernet socket communication".

I've just recently done one of these applications using same PLC and Zebra printer and it works great. 

Depending of the length of the string, you can end up using massive amount of PLC memory, but that's same for RS232 communication, I would presume...

Good luck with your project. 

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Does your application have a HMI? I always find it easier and quicker to print using the HMI (serial or Ethernet) than the PLC. However this depends on the vendor - some HMI’s are more flexible in this matter than others.

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Well i ordered the printer with installed Ethernet option in case of plan B, but the "How to" info is confusing for me at my level of knwledge.

There's redy solution for Ethernet/IP with AB PLC (network configuration file) and i'm not communication expert at all.

I don't have Ethernet/IP module on FX5 and i don's know if PLC built in Ethernet will do the job.

Had the perfect solution with MX OPC UA and OPC Router software, but the price tag of OPC Router is beyond our budget.

I'm on my own in the middle of nowhere and my employers don't want to spend extra money for expert help

My plan is to store label template in printer's flash and use the PLC to recall it and fill the variables.

If i stuck with serial i'll end up trying Ethernet.

I still have to solve conveyor logic, robot palletizing program and so on... my head is literally burning.

I'm in panic mode! :)

The only good thing is - there's no dead line.

 

 

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Yep, I have GOT Simple GS2110-WTBD installed

....you gonna make me learn scripting?! :)

Edited by glavanov

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don't have Ethernet/IP module on FX5 and i don's know if PLC built in Ethernet will do the job.

Shame as the Ethernet/IP module for the Fx5 works really well - In fact I prefer using it to CC-Link (I find it much easier to setup).

 

Edited by Nightfly

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3 hours ago, Nightfly said:

Does your application have a HMI? I always find it easier and quicker to print using the HMI (serial or Ethernet) than the PLC. However this depends on the vendor - some HMI’s are more flexible in this matter than others.

Have you ever done it to print various size labels? I've researched many options and with mitsubishi GOT's I was not able to do it. They only support basic paper sizes for reports printing as far as I managed to do it... 

I would really be interested to learn how you've done it since that can save a lot of hassle of transferring hex code to PLC and then printing using zpl code transfer from PLC as mentioned earlier (works very well though once set up properly).

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I am also interested in ...

For GOT, there is only hard copy information in the manuals.

But still... the RS-232 port is there and can be set to match every serial printer

And then what?

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