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wildswing

Is wireless DH+ or RIO possible?

18 posts in this topic

As the title asks, is wireless AB DH+ or RIO possible? I have a SLC 5/04 that's off in it's own. It's connected to a PLC5 via 1/2 dozen or so hardwired discretes. It works ok but I would like to expand the interface between the two. Making the SLC a RIO drop or a node on our plant wide programming DH+ would seem the most resonable method, but running blue hose may be a problem. The SLC is on a mobile cart that has a festoon cable system. I'm just wondering if setting up a wireless RIO or DH+ connection would be easier than installing new festoon cable.

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I have never heard of one but Prosoft does make a serial radio modem. http://www.prosoft-technology.com/

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Thanks TW. I just relized that I had asked this same question some time ago...DOH!

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Let us know how it works out if you use the Prosoft product. I only recommend them off of other users suggestions. I still have not used their products

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Have you considered Ethernet. You'd need a 1785 Ethernet Sidecar for the PLC 5 and a 1761-NET-ENI for the SLC 5/04. end. This would give IP addresses to both processors. You could then use standard ethernet hardware {Wireless Access Point, Gateways and etc.} to make the coinnection. The remote SLC would also be available for PC programming and monitoring.

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If the PLC5 had a serial port such as an SLC could it use the 1761-NET-ENI?

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It is my understanding that yes it could, but I have never played with that route. I beleive that any device which can speak DF1-DH485 can use the 1761-NET-ENI. This would apply to certain drives and HMI's as well as PLC's from AB/Rockwell.

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I have used it on the Micrologix 1000, 1100, 1200, SLC, Compactlogix, Controllogix and the Standard Panelview. Has anyone else used any other devices?

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PLC5s do have serial ports

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Enhanced "Yes" Classic "No"

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Omron makes wireless Devicenet. Contact you Omron supplier or Google for WD30-ME and WD30-SE. When I was asking for it (it's been a year or so) these used to cost about $2000 Canadian and delivery wasn't bad 92-3 weeks if i remember).

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DH+ is an issue simply because there are darn'd few interfaces. DF1 over RS-232 is another matter. I have several wireless links across the plant using DF1. The small DH+ network that I do have has a KF2 box attached to allow it to bridge (via a Digi One IAP) onto the Ethernet. The RS-Linx configuration is a little strange but it works flawlessly. Take a look at the modems from Aerocomm. Mouser is a vendor and seems to be able to get you one in a couple days. They work fine and are immune to just about everything (including RF from liquid metal in a foundry). At 900 MHz and the fact that they are meant as "medium haul" modems, they trivially punch through areas that an 802.11 modem would turn it's nose up at. The Aerocomm "ConnexLink" modems can be easily configured as pairs. You plug one into your PLC and one into your other device. The downside is multiplexing. Devices using raw DF-1 don't understand the concept of multiplexing unlike DH+ and DH485. And you can't use DH485 unfortunately because the timing is very tight (can't tolerate radios in the loop). When I first set it up (3 cranes to one PLC5), I used an "arbitrator" from Calta which does 3:1 multipliexing over DF-1. If I did it again today, I'd use a Digi One IAP. Much more flexible. As far as I know, outside of conversions from Prosoft and a couple others, RIO/DH+ are oddball versions of RS-485 that are essentially unsupported anywhere. I can't even get enough information from AB to build an RS-485/DH+ converter (sort of like an RS-232/RS-485 converter).

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Wireless serial conveter. http://www.phoenixcontact.com/global/news/248_7853.htm

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Oi vey, be careful about using cobbled up communication schemes if you are using it for time critical I/O. Does anyone know if there is certified wireless Ethernet I/P routers? I didn't think there was. I was talking to my vendor about a bluetooth I/O setup. I think it was phoneix contact as well, but for discrete I/O (profibus maybe) rather than serial conversion. Edited by Wordman

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just finished a project using their radios, beware real time is not possible, there is a lag. If your process can with a lag (mine could) then you will not look back. we tested the raios three ways: without antenna's they still communicated (300'), inside steel enclosures they still communicated, they will not work through the ground but will work on rotating machinery. Best of luck Ron

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Thanks for the info Ronny. We decided to hardwire the DH+ through the existing festoon system using high flex blue hose.

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If you find the DH+ wire does not hold up through the festoon system, another route is a SLC modem and a twisted pair phone line through the festoon (better bend radius on industrial phone wire compared to blue hose). I believe ProSoft has a SLC modem. I had a project some years ago with a network of SLC racks spread out over the campus of a plant that was more than a mile long. The best method we found for networking those guys together was SLC modems, phone wire and leased phone lines. Downside was that we lost 1-2 modems a year due to electrical storms.

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