Recipe Storage Problem

[sid 0]

I am having machine which includes Fx2N PLC and F940GOT display. Machine is having 40 Recipies and each recipe contains 180 words. PLC program uses PLC's data storage registers from D800 to D8000 for storing recipe. Now i want to increase recipies up to 200recipies but my PLC data storage memory is full. What is the solution to increase recipies to 200.

[Crossbow 296]

Easiest would be to replace the FX2N with an FX3U. It has over 40,000 data registers, where the old ones had around 8000. Program would be exactly the same, but you can use Rxxxx as well as Dxxxx.

[sid 0]

Thanks Crossbow. But is it possible to increase my recipies in the same hardware i.e using Fx2N and GOT F940? Can i use the file registers of FX2N for additional storage or GOT F940 memory to store more recipies.

[Colin Carpenter 10]

What happens when you lose power? As far as I know, the only battery backed registers in an FX2N are those from D200 to D511, so when the power goes off, don't you lose all the data in the other registers? How big is your programme? You can add an extra memory module to an FX2N to take it up to 16k steps, then you can elect to have those very secure file registers that take up some of the programme memory. I think that 1k steps equals 1000 file registers, but I've never had to use them, so am not too sure. Might be an option?

[sid 0]

In case of FX2N D200 to D511 register are optional i.e you can use it as Latched or Unlatched using PLC parameters. However D512 to d7999 are latched registers so there is no loss of data on power failure. My program uses 6000 steps of program memory, but i dont know how to use file registers since the address range of file register and data register are same(i.e d1000 to d7999).

[Crossbow 296]

I've never actually used file registers in the FX either. In the FX3U, there is a seperate area of memory (R0-R32767) for file register, and they can be used just like D registers. They also offer ER extended file registers in the FX3U, which require a memory card and special commands in the PLC to access. I'll talk to one ofthe guys at work who might know FX file registers on Monday and let you know. Otherwise, get the FX Programming Manual JY992D88101 from here or www.meau.com and it should be detailed in there pretty clearly.

[Goody 5]

From the FX programming manual

[sid 0]

I had already gone through the programming manual. The manual says "The device range for file registers in the FX1N, FX2N and FX2NC overlaps with the latched data registers". Since I am already using all the data registers fo FX2N for recipe storage, i am not sure how to transfer data stored in program file registers using BMOV instruction . For example i have secured 500steps of programming memory as file registers then what is the source address i should use in BMOV instruction to transfer program memory file registers to any Ram destination registers. I want sample program for file register data transfer without affecting any of the latched data registers. Edited 9 Jul 2006 by sid

[Crossbow 296]

Those BMOV instructions are going to move blocks of registers into the existing D registers. So it will overwrite the ones in the PLC at that point. As I said before, upgrading to an FX3U would be much more efficient as it already has 32,768 addresses of R memory and it's independant of the D memory.

[Colin Carpenter 10]

Hmmm .... having realised a bit more the situation with File Registers and the overlap with the D registers, it does seem that you are stuck with the problem that you have exceeded the memory storage capacity of the FX2N. Afraid I've never used a GOT terminal, but I do know that Recipe storage is available in the Beijers range of E-Terminals, though whether the storage capablity extends to the large amount that you need to use, I just wouldn't know. The terminals have a certain amount of onboard memory and the larger ones can have memory expansion cards added. Either an FX3U or an external SCADA type system that can upload data into the FX2N registers might seem to be the only solutions available to you?

[sid 0]

As after verifying manuals and reading replies from all of you, I am going to upgrade my FX2N PLC with FX3U PLC. Thanks to everybody.